Little Angel
by demonartist995
Summary: Hikari and Amane met by chance on a rainy day, but in the midst of Hikari's intense home life, will she be able to find a comforting relationship with Amane? *Currently being rewritten*
1. Some Rain Must Fall (The Ink Spots)

**Little Angel**

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><p><strong>Thus begins the rewrite of my first ever story to be published. I'm fixing everything from bad grammar and spelling, to major plot holes, and concentrating on developing a tone. Right now it's pretty much a reflection of a writer in high school, but I know I can give you something so much better. <strong>

**Some Rain Must Fall.**

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><p>Hikari walked up the trails in the park, soaking wet from the horrible storm around her. The world around her was a mirror to her thoughts, cloudy, darker than normal, seemingly abysmal. She was tired of the bickering she constantly lived with because of her mother and Jack, her overbearing, harsh and neglectful loser of a boyfriend. Hikari would never, ever speak out against him, but she wished many a day, particularly this one, that he would go back to America already. He was absolutely despicable from the way he treated her and her mother, but neither of them had the ability to defend themselves, how could they? Jack's word was law in their small home. It had even come to the point Hikari didn't believe her mother actually saw anything wrong with him. It wasn't so much the abusive nature of the beastly man that upset her, it was his constant flipping around on when he ignored Hikari, and when he wanted her in his sight.<p>

_Where are you going? Who're you with? Why don't you ever have a guy around? Don't you know how to make friends?_ But Hikari never gave him an answer, she just hid inside herself, trying to block out the brutish man and his horrible mutilation of the Japanese language.

He knew exactly where she'd be though, or at least her mother would tell him. She would usually abandon the house as quickly as possible in the mornings to go see her closest friend, Nanto Yaya. She never thought more of Jack than some creep with a control problem, which was basically along the lines of how she saw any man. And so she was in part the reason Hikari lacked the desire to find a boyfriend. Why would she want one if the only example she had of one was Jack? Romance was something the young girl hoped she never found; it seemed horrible. She wished she could just leave the two of them to find somewhere happy in her life, alone. Hikari sighed, seeing an empty gazebo, she headed over, tired of the pouring rain. She looked out to the lake, which rippled with every one of the eternal stream of droplets. Beyond that was a stable, painted a tawny brown, almost completely consumed by trees from Hikari's view. She saw someone pop out, and jog away out of view. The figure was tall, having azure blue hair, wearing a black jacket and matching black jeans as far as she could make out. Hikari sat thinking about the blue haired figure, wondering what this person would be doing in a stable in this storm. Well, what had she been doing out here?

Not much longer had the person come out of view that she had reappeared coming around the corner in a quickened pace, and looking so distinctly familiar that it irritated Hikari to no end. She couldn't for the life of her remember her, but goodness was she beautiful. Or rather... handsome even.

She walked with the grace of a dancer, but held the slender and silent strength of a runner. Her face, partially covered with dampened blue hair, looked like royalty. Particularly, a Prince. But this boyish quality took nothing from her- in fact it seemed to add to her charm. She looked up and noticed Hikari sitting on the lone bench in the gazebo.

"Oh, uh-" Hikari stammered.

"Um...Would you mind if I..."

"Not at all," Hikari moved over to make room for the slender woman.

"Some Storm, huh?" She asked, looking over to the little blonde girl. Hikari nodded, not nearly confident enough to look the wonderful stranger in the eye. The older looking woman pressed on, regardless. "What's your name?"

"Konohana Hikari, you?" The little blonde girl replied shyly.

"Amane."

Hikari's face turned shocked when she realized who_ Exactly_ this was, and she mentally kicked herself for her stupidity. Looking up to get another, better look, she stammered out, "Uh...um...Amane...Ootori? Like the-?"

"Horse rider, yeah," The blue haired girl said, her cheeks becoming just slightly pink.

"I thought you looked familiar!" She exclaimed, blushing upon realizing she just admitted to watching her. "I-I uh...I mean..."

"Second row, last Friday... that was you, right? Next to the girl with the long black hair, and the pink one to your right?"

"Oh, y-yes, that was Yaya and Tsubomi," Hikari fumbled out. Amane chuckled. "Congrats, by the way, on your win. No one seems to really stands a chance against you." Hikari's cheeks grew darker red with every word. She thought she sounded like another stupid fan girl.

"Star Bright and I have to train constantly, even in weather like this if we want to keep up. This whole professional world, it's so difficult than racing for fun. Everything was okay today until the thunder started. It scares him a bit. " Amane said, her mind going back to earlier that morning. She looked so cute in her black jacket, and those edgy, torn up jeans. "It looks like the rains' clearing up a bit, do you need a ride home?" Hikari nodded her head, still struggling to make eye contact. Her nerves were wired- a ride from the Prince Ootori? Amane seemed sweet and friendly, but could this all be real right now? What was she just thinking about romance and whatnot?

"Alright, well then follow me," she said, her smile wide and hand out to Hikari's. She quietly followed Amane to a small black and red, sleek motorcycle. They hopped on, speeding into the road.

"Which way am I headed Hikari?"

_Oh gosh, focus! _Hikari thought, distracted. _She said my name... familiarly. It sounded so sweet, like honey. _"Uh-um, left." She thought about what her mother would say when she saw her coming the driveway behind a stranger on a motorcycle. Hikari gave Amane directions to her home, seeming a lot closer now than when she had walked the distance in torrential downpour of rain.

Her mother wasn't home, so she let Amane walk her up the driveway to her porch. "Thank you Amane-sempai, it would've taken me forever to get back home walking.

"Hey, anytime," Amane smiled, and then a thought came to her, visible on her face. "So, what were you doing out there in the rain? You could've caught a cold."

Hikari bit her lip, and quickly made up a decent answer. "Oh... um, well, I needed some fresh air."

Amane laughed and shook her head. "Well, did you need to be watered too?"

The younger girl hid her face, and Amane instantly regretted it. She tried to change the subject without hurting her feelings further. "Hey... will you be at the race on Saturday?"

"I'll try to be, why?"

Relieved that she had succeeded, Amane reached around into the pocket of her black shredded jeans' pocket, and withdrew a pen and a piece of paper, wrote down something, and gave it to Hikari.

"Give me a call sometime, maybe we can talk beforehand? I'm free until then anyway" Amane smiled, a half nervous look overcoming her.

Hikari's eyes shone brighter than a pair of headlights." I'd love to!"

"Cool, so, I'll be seeing you around then, huh?" Amane said, smiling that breath-taking beam.

"Yeah, uh, y-you too Amane-senpai" Hikari stammered out. Gosh, she was so darn cute! Amane bid her goodbye, and flashed out one last smile while she sped away. Hikari slumped against the front door and watched her fly down the road away from the house. She then imagined Amane walking inside with her, touring through her meek little home with her, wondering what it would be like to get to know that mysteriously handsome Rider. She stood there dreaming, fantasizing, for what seemed blissful hours, about 'Prince' Amane Ootori.


	2. Answer the Phone (Sugar Ray)

**Answer the Phone**

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><p>Later that night Hikari sat silently in her room, still thinking of Amane. Or rather at this point, she was crushing on her. It was very different watching someone compete and venerate them, and then to meet them up close in person. She started to text Yaya about her, but then remembered how she still got jealous when Hikari liked someone, even though she swore it had nothing to do with her long-gone crush on the blonde girl. It didn't seem that it should've been a problem anymore anyways; her and Tsubomi seemed different... comfortable? Easy around each other? Hikari didn't know how to put it. She opened up her phone to start her message, and smiled, thinking of what had happened in the park. She typed out:<strong>You'll never guess who just drove me home!<strong>

**Well, it obviously wasn't this hotshot, so hit me.**

Hikari giggled, and began her story.

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><p>Two hours into their conversation, Yaya's replies in huge astonishment and excitement, she heard her mother come home with Jack in tow, drunk at only six o' clock at night.<p>

_Jesus, it's not even six, it's only a quarter til. What a los-_

CRASH. THUNK.

_CRACK!_

"Damnit, I SAID TO **WATCH ME!**" Yeah, he was definitely drunk again, and mom was his crutch, his eyes, his hands. And Hikari hated it. Her mother put up with it because "oh, he's only like that drunk. Honestly, he's such a sweet guy." Hikari had yet to see the sweet side of Jack.

"How am I s'posed to walk 'n this d'm'd house 'f y'r always 'n m' way?!" was the next yell coming through the hollow walls. "NO! Jus... just lea' me' 'lone... stupid bitch.."

Sighing again, Hikari heard the smacking into walls and the swearing continued into the other room, and finally he passed out on the bed in their room. She heard her mother go in with him, but she heard her come back out almost instantly. She came down the hall, thrusting Hikari's door wide open. "Stay. Quiet. I don't want him waking back up until he's sober!" Hikari nervously nodded her head, a little frightened by the hostility and fierceness of her mother. It wasn't her fault he had been drinking again so early. Or at all, not like it was ever actually her fault. Nonetheless however, there was nothing she could do to avoid this treatment. Her mother obviously cared more for Jack than she had for Hikari, her seemingly forgotten daughter. It had been this way for years, and it wouldn't be changing any time soon.

She hadn't noticed she had stopped texting Yaya during the whole event until she saw her phone light up with a new message: **HEY! What the HELL did you do on that bike?**

Hikari chuckled, replying: **Sorry, nothing like your thinking, you perv. She just drove me home.**

A few minutes later, she got back : **Oh, I'm sure Ootori drove you allllll the way home ;)**

Hikari blushed reading this, denying Amane to be anything like that, and they continued on with their bickering and bantering. Yaya was always making the sly joke when she could. Hikari, being quite oblivious and innocent, flushed her cheeks when she finally understood whatever naughty slur the black-haired girl might've said at some particular time.

Finally, Yaya said something totally off from her usual playfulness. **Maybe you should just call her. You've got her number, right?**

Hikari thought about this, suddenly craving to dial the numbers written on the small piece of paper Amane had given to her earlier that afternoon. **It's a little late though.**

**So? She gave it to you for a reason**. Yaya then added in another message, **Maybe Ootori doesn't mind a little love at night ;D**

**You're nasty, you know that right?** Hikari flushed bright, tomato red, and was so grateful her friend couldn't see her, or else the teasing would have been a thousand times worse. Hikari thought about what Amane might be doing right then, probably not even thinking about the small girl. She frowned, saddened. _What could someone like me do to catch Amane's eye? Or even Yaya for that matter. With all the mess here... how could anyone want to deal with that? It's only because they don't know. Yaya protects me as best she can, sure, but at the end of the day, this is what I live with. Day in and day out... I'm sure Amane-sempai can tell. Maybe it was pity that she asked me to take a ride home with her. Even still, I wish I had at least hugged her goodbye, or..._

Hikari wished now more than ever that she could talk to her mother, or someone other than Yaya about this sudden aching, longing for someone to hold her and care about her. Her raven haired friend had asked plenty a time from the last few years, but she was only ever just a friend, and no more feeling could be conjured from Hikari than that. Yes, Yaya had made her feel loved and cared for, much more than her mother had, but she wanted someone... to match her. Someone she could come home to at night, happy to see them, and them to see her, embracing them tightly as she walked through the door. Maybe not a lover, but...she wasn't sure. It definitely felt more than friendly, despite the fact this whole ordeal had started with another woman. Hikari had never given any thought to her preferences, she always had assumed she would eventually find a boy tolerable enough to spend her life with, one that wouldn't be quite as miserable to be around as Jack. That had partly been her belief because of the lack of attraction she'd felt to Yaya. But now, as she laid on her bed thinking of Amane, she wondered. It was only friendship she sought, right? Yes? No? Surely the images in her head of them together... maybe it was her hormones or something. In the end, she was still on the fence about romance.

Hikari decided to skillfully change the subject of their conversation to Yaya's sudden development in interest of Tsubomi-chan. Hikari chuckled as her friend's replies grew more and more defensive, thinking only of the attention that Tsubomi would receive by the tons from Yaya- in forms of teasing and loving. She thought they'd make a cute couple, but inside, this made her long to see Amane again even more, but too afraid to admit to herself why. Nonetheless, she let herself begin to daydream about the gazebo, failing to focus while Yaya ranted away, thinking of them huddled together, watching the rain, Amane's strong arms around her shoulder...Maybe stealing a kiss or two from Hikari...

_-No. No no. Stop. This is wrong. Romance isn't what it should be, and Amane wouldn't look to you for it anyway._

They continued on for a while longer, Hikari devoting all her attention to their messaging, until Yaya said she was tired and was going to bed. It was early for her, before eleven o' clock meant that she must be extremely exhausted. She had heard Jack wake up, bitching and moaning about how there wasn't any food, when her mother had actually spent a good thirty minutes trying to put something random together for him. Hikari hadn't left her room to see what. She knew the risks of being seen by Jack would be like walking straight into a death sentence in his current state. The thoughts of him made her sick to her stomach, far too sick to even think about eating herself. She sat there and wished she could just move out, but, it was back to Amane her thoughts ran. The prince-like Amane, strong and sturdy like a bull, with the grace and build of a wildcat. All with the beauty of a moonlit nightingale. Just...stunning...heart pounding... impossibly wonderful Amane. She longed to speak with her again, but.. realistically, it was just so late... Hikari's indecision gnawed at her incessantly in the pit of her stomach. Jack and her mother were now asleep again, and their TV up, so no one would hear her if she had decided to call.

_But... gosh, it's so late_, she thought. She looked over at the clock- 9:20. Would it be rude to call? She knew it would be tactless to text her first. She thought of Yaya's advice, but she didn't want this Prince to to know about her crazy home life if it had slipped from her in an explanation for something. _But it's because of that life that I met you today..._ She wasn't really sure to talk about, other than to thank her for the ride home, but hey, it was something. She rolled with it hoping for the best, picked up the phone and dialed the number.

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><p>Amane was just getting out of her shower and drying her wet blue hair. She wrapped herself in a towel, covering her long torso and only the top of her legs. She walked out of the bathroom and to her room to grab a pair of boxers and a t-shirt, her normal sleeping attire. She sat on her living room couch, and looked out of her apartment window, watching the rustling of the lone tree outside, and two birds flying off into the moonlit night. She'd been waiting all evening for an unknown number to light up her phone, but it rebelled, refusing to do anything but lie infuriatingly still. Already having given up, she reached to turn her phone off.<p>

At the last second, it had rung, and Amane picked up immediately. "Hello?" she answered, a bit hurriedly.

"Uh, hi, um, would this be Ootori-senpai?"

Amane smiled and chuckled a bit, remembering how Hikari tried to treat her so formally in the gazebo. "Hey Hikari. What're you doing up so late?"

"Um..." Hikari stuttered a bit. Did Amane intimidate her? She had hoped not. "I wanted to thank you for the ride home today."

"It was my pleasure Hikari," Amane smiled, fondly remembering her red cheeks flushing against that damp blonde hair of hers. Her enormous blue eyes reminded her of dolphins, bouncing and playing in an ever-shining sun. They were probably ducked down, her cheeks red again. "By the way, just Amane is fine. you know. I don't worry around with formalities."

"Oh, um, okay then...sorry.."

Amane chuckled again, "Hikari, it's alright, don't get so down." _You're too cute for that_. She paused for a second, shocked and readjusting herself. "So, how are you? I know the rain was a bit chilly, you didn't actually end up getting a cold did you?"

There was a soft clutter of sound from the other end, and a pause. "Er, everything's good with me, no cold or anything," she giggled shyly, then asked in quieter reply, "How are you?"

But Amane wasn't entirely convinced. Deciding it wasn't really any of her business as to what was going on, she replied for sake of small talk. "Same. I just hopped outta the shower. So, was today your first time on a motorcycle?"

"Uh...yeah... did it show?" She could practically hear the growing redness in Hikari's cheeks as she admitted it.

Amane laughed again, smiling. "Heh. I thought so. I was scared senseless the first time I rode. You held on like a cat to a tree, so I kinda figured. Ever ride a horse?"

"Once, at a fair. But it was only a pony and my friend Yaya was holding my hand."

Amane thought for second. "Tomorrow, after I'm done training with Star Bright, would you like to go riding with us?"

"Hai!" She replied, excited_. "If _your not exhausted of course, you know. I'd love to."

"So... Meet me at the stables, the one from across the gazebo?"

"Alright, so, should I meet you there around the same time?"

"How's eleven?" Amane was all kinds of giddy, but why? "I wish I could've stayed longer with you today, but the rain was getting bad again. Needed to make sure Star Bright was alright." Star Bright **hated** thunder. Amane hoped it wouldn't be this bad on Saturday, or they might be in a little trouble. "We can always wait in the stables if it starts up again tomorrow, ah, to clear and everything."

_You dork. Sound creepy to the kid why don't you?_

"Of course I will!" Hikari replied, not thinking anything of anything other than their meeting tomorrow, regardless of the circumstances.

"Well alrighty then." Amane smiled again at the younger girl's enthusiasm. She heard a door open on the other end and some muted, hurried conversation. There was a great pause before she heard Hikari come back.

"Uh, Amane?" Hikari began to ask, not sounding the same. "Would it bother you if I left... like... right now?"

Amane was stunned by the sudden change in her voice. _What happened?_ "No, it's all good. Everything okay Hikari?"

"Yeah, I just... I'll explain tomorrow.. I'm so sorry Amane, sleep well. Good night," she said a little sorrowfully.

"Good night, Hikari," _Oh god,_ she thought. _I hope she's okay..._

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><p>Hikari couldn't have been any more resentful towards her mother. Jack was supposed to have been asleep, and so was she! They were on the other side of the house, it wasn't her fault if they couldn't hear the TV because of Jack's 'sensitive hearing', whom had now also cranked it up to a blasting cacophony in his drunken stupor. She had tried to keep her voice low, but she knew it washer excitement had given her away. It was like they had a radar for it. It was really just a reason for her mother to complain to her boyfriend. It has how they bonded, Hikari had realized. She could have talked to Amane all night tirelessly, but God forbid Jack should have to be reminded of his other tenant.<p>

She sighed, realizing with a small glimmer of happiness that she still got the chance to speak with Amane again, and- Wait! Did she... have a _date_ tomorrow? Hikari felt like she could bounce up to the moon, the sun, anything! She was going to see Amane again tomorrow! And to add to it, riding a horse with her! The frustration from her mother now gone, it took all her the might in her little body not to squeal in delight!

"Amane Ootori" Hikari whispered. _Thank you..._

She fell asleep fantasizing about their rendezvous, imagining Amane riding Star Bright as he galloped and jumped and flew across fields. They were inseparable from each other in Hikari's mind, and in all her awe and amazement, she felt no jealousy towards the beautiful white horse. He was so incredibly lucky to have Amane as his rider, they fit each other so elegantly, they were as regal as they were undefeatable. She remembered the first time she had watched Amane race- it was like a handsome knight was bounding away on her valiant steed. The pure beauty of Amane alone was breathtaking, but as Hikari had watched her in action, she took on the aura of someone straight out of a fantasy book. The memory of Amane's hair flipping across her beautiful brown eyes on the victory screen, her brilliant, kind smile, was the last thing she saw before she fell asleep.

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><p>Amane wondered nervously about Hikari. She wanted to call again, to see if she was okay.<em> I'll see her tomorrow<em>, she thought. _Hopefully._

She looked again out the window, and saw the two birds return to their tree. she smirked. _Lucky,_ she mused, happy for that some beings in this world found the ones they could count on coming home to every night. Oddly, she thought again of Hikari's blue eyes above her bright pink cheeks, a wide smile coming out from nowhere as she passed out on the couch.


	3. Glad You Came (The Wanted)

**Glad You Came**

Hikari woke up, feeling just as excited as she had been the night before. She quickly got dressed, finding an old pair of blue jeans and a red tank top, putting in her favorite blue earrings. Unsure of what to do until she was ready to leave, she went out back to watch the birds in her tree. She whistled to them and collectively, a hum and choir of birds rang out, tuning the early summer breeze into a pure, natural melody. She wished Amane was there to share this moment with, before Jack or her mother could possibly ruin it. She watched as one by one, and then two by two, the birds flew off into the late morning. After a while, her tree became silent, but it didn't bring Hikari the familiar sadness of being abandoned. She knew the birds would come back, whenever they needed to come home, one by one or two by two.

As the morning grew on, she went back inside to hopefully find a quick breakfast to fix from the refrigerator, but found nothing other than some apples, age-old leftovers of some kind, and chicken. She decided on the apple, which luckily had not been sitting in the half-functional cooler for too long. Jack would come grumbling out of bed soon, and her mother was already at work at the hair salon. Only by luck and some illusion of charm could she have hoped to keep her job there. She could be professional and welcoming at work, loving and caring to Jack, but distant and most times indifferent or hostile to Hikari, making her feel like just a big burden around them. As for Jack, she could only imagine that it was because of his brutish nature specifically he thrived in the construction industry. Otherwise, how else could he wake up so late every morning, treat on out like a zombie, and still manage to keep his job? Sighing, she went through the kitchen, up to the living room, and walked out the front door. She brought her phone and the Walkman Yaya got her for Christmas. It would be a rather long walk there, and Hikari knew she'd need a distraction from the heat if it didn't rain again. It was already incredibly hot out, the sweet breeze from earlier seeming to have dissipated. She silently wished for some small drizzle, or at least a few clouds in the sky, but was reminded of Amane's intense training she put herself and Star Bright through. She wouldn't mind sitting alone with Amane in the stables for some time talk under a dark and stormy sky, but she knew Amane needed to practice. Hikari always loved to watch Amane ride Star Bright, she made every move look flawless and smooth. Realistically, rain or shine was fine for the young girl, as the excitement of what she was doing- actually going to hang out with The Ootori Amane- hit her again. Hikari would stand in the middle of an open field during a tsunami for this once in a lifetime chance.

Half an hour had passed, and she could see the park coming into view. She smiled, slightly tired from the draining heat but still grinning ear to ear. _It's getting close now,_ she thought. A soft blush came about her cheeks. _I'll be there soon, Amane-sempai_.

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><p>Amane sped off from her apartment towards the park, knowing she left way later than she should have. The time was so far past when she and Star Bright should've been out running the track, it wasn't remotely excusable. Regardless, she knew where her thoughts had been, and the whole drive there she kept a close eye out for Hikari. Surprised when she actually saw her, with cute blonde curls bouncing off from a scarlet tank top not too far away from the park entrance, she slowed down and changed lanes to meet her at the sidewalk. She felt her heart thud as Hikari turned around at the sound of her approaching motorcycle with those big ocean blue eyes.<p>

"Hey there, need another ride?" She teased lightly.

Hikari blushed. "Hi Amane-san"

Amane, remembering a second helmet, handed her one, and motioned for her to hop on. She held on tight, wrapping her arms fittingly around Amane's waist, burrowing her head into her back. Amane rode slowly into the park, taking in the trees and bushes as they passed them, staring out into the lake, which now held opposite to her, barely visible, the gazebo. She took a final turn towards the stable, parking next to the keeper's house. The man nodded to Amane, taking note of Hikari.

"Would it be alright if we borrowed an extra horse today?" Amane asked.

"Haha, well if your gonna be bringin' in pretty girls like that, you outta bring me one sometime. They come to you in droves." He said, a small falsetto in his voice, and winked at Hikari. Amane winced, and put a protective arm instinctively around her shoulders.

"Can we?"

"Sure, just don't hurt 'em. Well, you know. You are my favorite, of course," He said

She looked in the corner of her eye to see a river of red flowing through Hikari's soft face again. Amane knew they wouldn't get hurt, as long as Hikari didn't freak out for any reason, most of them could be sensitive creatures. She opened the tall and heavy door to the stables, leading them straight for Star Bright. She smiled, unlocking and opening the stall with her key to allow Hikari, then herself in. Amane watched Hikari's face as she looked upon the white stallion with awe. He whimpered at flung his mane about, mad that he's been stuck in his stall for as long as he had been.

"I'm sorry boy, really. Calm down, I know I'm late, okay? I'm here now," the bluenette tried to reason with him, but he just stomped his foot angrily like a child. Hikari giggled softly at the display. Amane blushed, embarrassed. "He can be such a drama queen when he wants to be. Valiant and beautiful aside, his personality is definitely all his own."

Hikari tried to hide her giggling behind her hands- a wonderful sound, if you'd ask Amane- but Star Bright was still demanding complete attention. Amane noticed the younger girl looked nervous and unsure of how to calm him again. The Rider took her hand, surprised at its smoothness and warmth, and combined their entwined fingers through his marvelous mane. Near instantaneously, Star Bright stopped his tantrum, and in turn stilled.

"See? You're fine. Don't you know how to behave with a lady in the room?" Amane chided him.

She saw in the corner of her eye to see a river of red flowing through Hikari's soft face again. By compulsion, she softly squeezed her hand, still tangled in his mane. ish like many other fans of hers. There were many qualities she'd already taken note of on the blonde. She smiled then, thinking that it was so cute that she was so easily fluttered. She noticed her voice would get softer after she'd get excited, almost like she was trying to retract her emotion. And beyond that, Amane noticed a certain sadness in her, only prevalent when she wasn't preoccupied in a conversation. She let go of her hand and went to fetch her horse's breakfast.

Star Bright looked for the source of the new hand and brushed his muzzle against her cheek. Blushing, she strode her hand lovingly down his nose, scratching his ears and his chin. Amane turned around and smiled- she knew her horse loved to be scratched behind his ears. The stallion loved Hikari in no time, clomping his back foot once showing his approval. Amane decided that she wouldn't need an extra horse after all. She excused herself as she put his morning meal in front of him, and let the two of them continue bonding while he ate. While Hikari was busy with Star Bright, and the horse her and his food, the Rider put a saddle on his back, grabbed a helmet Hikari's size, and turned to the small blonde girl.

"So... want to ride him?"

Hikari jumped a little, not sure if she had heard right. Then her face brightened. "I...really? You'd let me?"

There was never a sight she had seen before that could have melted Amane's heart so fast, so hard. Not even when Star Bright had been born. Not even the king of Hell could tell this girl no. She lifted Hikari bridal style into her arms and onto Star Bright's saddle. She walked them out of the stable and into an open field. Hikari strapped on the helmet Amane gave her. They came to a track, where two fences stood in the middle, one high, one low. Hikari looked nervously at them, and Amane smiled.

"Don't worry, I wont make you jump on your first ride," Amane joked, noticing her friend's apprehension.

Hikari looked down, "Arigato ...you make it look so easy." Amane suddenly remembered the region tournament from a few months ago, where the contestants had to jump five consecutive fences throughout one of the stages. She remembered the anxiousness about Star Bright, knowing that Kaname and her black Beau Knight were her biggest competition there. If only...

"It takes many years of practice," Amane replied. "I was too nervous when I was younger, my main focus was just learning to get in sync with Star, and go from there. I jumped for the first time when I was fifteen."

"When did you start riding?" Hikari asked curiously.

"Oh boy...let' see, Star Bright was born when I was ten, but I had been riding for two years on my father's horse. So, about eleven years."

Hikari almost fell off the white stallion. How long?

Amane saw the perplexing look on Hikari's face, and smiled. "I guess you can say I've always known I'd do this." She laughed then, thinking of her father and his horse, remembering how he had once been unbelievably outraged that his horse had gotten pregnant, from an incident where all the horses in that particular stable were set free one weekend. She turned to tell this to Hikari, and upon hearing the story, she giggled, especially when Amane tried mimicking her father's voice.

"What in blazes do you mean they got out? Iiiiii swear, if she mothers some mutt!" Amane embellished a bit o the haughty parts, but she knew Hikari would just laugh harder. She became as enthralled in the sound as Hikari was in her story. She kept on, talking about when Star Bright was born. " 'Gah! How am I supposed to register this damned thing?' He wasn't the nicest to the poor baby. Called him a bloody useless fowl even! Can you believe?"

Hikari was wide eyed. "What? But... he's so beautiful, what would it have mattered?"

Amane sighed as she explained. "In the world of horse racing, everything matters on your steed's pedigree. My father was worried his prize mare had mated with a lower grade tat had been in the stable that weekend. Eventually, I learned who it was just from watching and learning about the ones that had been there at the time, but I never told him. I said it shouldn't have mattered because he was already an amazing horse. He begged to differ, saying it just made Star Bright more difficult to register should we ever go into professional races. But... look at us now, I guess."

Hikari smiled at Amane's witty conclusion, adoring her big heart. "So, how did you get to keep him if your father was so hostile towards him?"

"Well, simply, I begged. I begged and begged until I could get him to fall for a bet- if by the time Star Bright was old enough to ride, I'd master the amateur ranks, I could keep him as my own. At the time, I was almost eleven, and quite ambitious for someone only in junior high. He never thought I could do it, having started late, but... well..." Amane reached over and scratched her beloved horse between the ears, who acknowledged her happily. "He never should've doubted the love girls have for their horse."

Hikari laughed again, captivated by the amazing entity Amane became to her. She was so... interesting, and bold. A knight almost, with her bravery to challenge her father for someone she loved so much. She wondered if Amane had ever fought for another person like that. _Would she if it were me? Oh, stop being ridiculous, Amane hardly even knows you._ She held onto the Rider tighter, as if wishing that someday, someone would care for her like this amazing human being did for Star Bright.

Amane then changed their conversation towards how to ride the magnificent creature. Hopping down, she adjusted Hikari to the center of the saddle, showing her how to sit in it comfortably. Then she moved onto maneuvering Star Bright with her motions of the reigns, walking alongside them around the track. Hikari's expression never withered from its state of joy, and Amane saw how different she really was from the other crazy fan girls- she was content to just be there with Amane. Everyone had always wanted something out of her- be it a photograph of some kind, a date somewhere prestigious, always something superficial, just proof that they had met, really, to give them some satisfaction. Usually, that was the end of it, and the most Amane had ever done was sign something for them. She was scared that if she had done something too personal, she would lead them on. Some she didn't need to though, they were already insane.

It took her back to when she had been forced to move to her apartment. She knew that the ridiculousness had gone too far when some of the girls would follow her home from the track. She'd turn around and look behind her, seeing the same car there from a couple streets ago. Soon after, they'd turn away, knowing they'd been seen. Amane originally thought nothing more of it, thinking it would be the end of it, but after she'd been ambushed in her own home, it was time for Amane to go. It took four of her neighbors to get them off and away from the blue haired rider, including old Mrs. Tanoma with her rolling pin and spatula, obviously just coming from her kitchen when she heard the commotion. She offered to call police, but Amane denied, saying it wouldn't happen again.

And it never would. Shortly after, Amane moved into an apartment in outer South Tokyo, a stone's throw away from Kawasaki. It took her a while to get to the track now, but it was better than having to worry about stalkers. Amane felt bad about it, and she hoped that they hadn't been in trouble. She didn't know why she was defending them, but in any case, as long as they weren't harassing the tomboy, she was fine. The manager of the complex she now lived in, a Mr. Sasaki-Tokutaro, helped her move into a second floor, one bedroom apartment, complete with a functional toilet and bath in the restroom, a stove, a fridge, and a counter. Amane purchased a fan, because the only one that had worked was a ceiling fan in the living room. She was content with her little home, only disliking the thin walls and ceiling. Her neighbor one floor above her kept her up many nights when she had just moved in, often bringing home some woman, and Amane would have to endure the long hours they spent noisily together deep into the morning.

There are just some things you never need to know or hear.

Eventually he moved out with her, as her best guess was, and apparently it had seemed they'd been together for a while. She only saw him once or twice, but he wasn't a pretty sight to see at all, much less the one of many nights she would see him dead drunk. With a tall blonde woman in tow, he usually wore ratty jeans and a smelly, puke stained t-shirt, and she hoped that the woman had more sense than to go to his bed with him those nights. He was easily forty or fifty pounds heavier than Amane, so if she needed help getting out, Amane wasn't sure how much assistance she'd be. He had jet black, spiked hair, a nasty stubble on his chin that was starting to get raggedy, with bloodshot brown eyes. His eyes were as unalike to Amane's as possible- where hers looked like the smooth, faceted surface of shiny bronzite, his were cold and hard to look at, like a mud-caked sleeping serpent. She hated imagining the torture of what could happen when that serpent woke. Amane remembered this man had an occasional temper, often complaining about what she could only gather to be the woman's daughter. He seemed truly repugnant, and his company was worse. Work friends, he called them when she worked up the nerve to have a conversation with him. She hated their arrival- the lingering smell would seep down and stink like hell for days on end.

Amane looked now again to Hikari, thinking of how she made things around her beautiful. She stunned herself with this thought- she had only known Hikari a day. She had always believed to appreciate the true beauty of things, it was through time and devotion. Amane couldn't deny it, Hikari **had** appeared to Amane like an angel, and it was so easy to feel ensnared by her- her wet blonde hair blowing softly against the storm's wind, a soft glow coming of from where the rain had fallen on her, the utter joy of her companionship, and of course that easy blush that cried of innocence. She felt so childish for being dumbstruck when she saw her. No wonder Hikari had been nervous. You couldn't crush on someone by appearances, could you?

They circled back to the stable, and Hikari got the hang of riding Star Bright. Amane decided to take Hikari somewhere special, so that she could both train a little today, and show Hikari the best way to ride a horse- fast.

"Wait here; I'll grab a second helmet."

"Wait, what?" Hikari asked confused, but Amane had already left

She came back shortly, explaining her plan while strapping on the new helmet. "So, if you're comfortable with it, I'll go a little faster, just so he can show off a bit." _And myself, I guess_. "Star Bright and I know this place like the back of our hand. Um, or hoof." Star Bright acknowledged his part in their conversation, and as if on cue, raised his front hooves and reared mightily. Hikari gripped his neck as closely as she had Amane's waist on the motorcycle. Amane smiled, giving a small laugh, accompanied by Hikari's cute, nervous giggles.

"W-works for me," the blonde replied when she found her bearings. "Does he do that often?"

"Only when he's in the spotlight."

Hikari laughed once more, and scooted back in the saddle so Amane could hop on up. She did so in one swift motion, and Amane saw a look of awe in Hikari's face when she turned around. "You trust me on this?"

Hikari nodded, pulling her arms instinctively around Amane's waist. Amane focused straight ahead, reared up Star Bright to get him hyped, and sped ahead into the trail.


	4. Hikari are you doing okay?(The Offspring

**Hikari, are you doing okay?**

**Heeyyooo, this is the first chapter of the rewrite that the chapter title isn't precisely a song title, but a play on one- look up the Offspring, it'll make sense.**

* * *

><p>Amane felt unstoppable riding Star Bright, fearless even, and unbreakable. They pounded past the exit of the park to the trail, in a blur that only the pair could notice, riding at their astounding speed. Amane and Hikari were soon walled in by an ocean of trees and bushes and vines. She took it all in, feeling Hikari's arms tighten around her waist, causing her to spur Star Bright on even faster. Amane would notice an occasional log or a steep dip barring their way, and she pulled just enough on the white stallion's reigns to signal him for a jump, giving out a triumphant "Yah!" as they would go soaring through the air. Amane had never felt more bold. With Hikari snug around her, all she wanted was to impress her spectacularly. They flew straight ahead, feeling airborne for a moment, and Amane welcomed the rush with anticipation. She felt Hikari's arms again, never really having left, and hoped she wasn't scaring her. She dared to look back for a second and was happy- on Hikari's face was a huge gaping smile, her big blue eyes wide in wonder.<p>

Hikari couldn't believe this was real. She would've pinched herself if she wasn't so afraid of falling off. Amane could make it look all so effortless. Her blue short hair wisping around, her tight blue shirt affectionately wrapping themselves to Amane's extremely toned figure... Hikari thought Amane was every bit the stereotypical Prince Charming, every detail the angels had blessed her with made her romantic, and Hikari found herself deep in this new desire. Gone were her inhibitions on romance and attraction, she smiled widely as she saw Amane prepare them for another jump. She held on tight, feeling the flow of the air push past them vigorously. Hikari's smile widened ear to ear, and upon noticing Amane stealing a glance at her, her cheeks grew to a definite pink.  
><em>Today,<em> Hikari thought, _is beautiful. I could ride with Amane for hours..._  
>But of course, the forces that are could not let Hikari have such a peaceful day uninterrupted. Her phone blared her standard ringtone, but it rang for a while with it's sound lost to the wind. As it grew more persistently annoying, Amane began to slow Star Bright, looking around for the noise. Hikari, dismayed, apologized quickly, and pulled out her phone. She would've cursed if Amane hadn't been there.<br>On her screen, showing an incoming call, was Jack.

* * *

><p>Hikari was apologizing profusely to Amane after the phone call, who just kept reassuring her that everything was fine.<br>_Who's Jack?_ Amane wondered, and then her heart dropped as it reeled around in her head, _Maybe it's her boyfriend._  
>Amane sighed. From the sound of it, if this was her boyfriend, Amane didn't approve. Even hardly knowing Hikari, she knew she could do better than someone screaming over a phone to her. He sounded far too old and far too aggressive for her anyway.<br>"I'm so sorry... I have to be home in less than an hour... Amane, I'm so sorry, honest, I wish... I wish I could stay here all day with you but..." Amane noticed the tears in Hikari's eyes, and she brushed one that had spilled onto her cheek. The blonde girl looked up to Amane, and wiped her eyes in embarrassment. This was no boyfriend, Amane realized. This was some creep that had complete control over Hikari's life, and the Rider didn't like one bit of it. This one phone call alone tore all the happiness and excitement out of Hikari, something Amane had begun to think was impossible. She wished it had been. _Just who is this guy? And why is Hikari so damn... afraid of him?_  
>"I'll get you home, don't worry about that. Just, promise me something, ok?"<br>"Hai?"  
>"Call me if anything happens to you."<br>Amane could not believe the words passing through her lips.  
><em>What the hell can I do? It's not like I can bust some heads and rescue her like a princess from a fairy tale!<em> Amane thought angrily. _No matter how much I may want to... what if I'm just overreacting? Am I being too impulsive? Intrusive, maybe?_  
>Hikari nodded, and Amane turned around, facing forward, and sped off again. Amane knew it wouldn't be long until they circled back to the stable. She felt Hikari's arms slide snug around her wait once more, and her shirt took on the few tears still staining the poor girl's face. Disheartened, she spurred her stallion on harder.<br>Concerned again by Hikari's immense sadness, Amane looked intently at Hikari. She helped her off the horse at the stable, and then walked Star Bright to his stall. This time though, Amane would not refrain from asking what exactly was wrong. She put her strong hand gently down on Hikari's shoulder, and lifted her chin with her finger.  
>"Hikari... I know it's really not any of my business, but please, tell me what's wrong?"<br>Hikari looked at her with watery eyes. "My mother's boyfriend wants me home because his... friends... are over" Hikari said the word with uncertainty. "They're really mostly his managers, coworkers. He wants to look like part of a happy normal family that needs a two-part income so they don't fire him," she paused again, seeming to search for her words. "I can't stand any of them, they treat me and my mother like slaves, and she does nothing to stop it. She may not mind..." and then she faltered, unable to speak the rest. Amane almost said something, in fear for the worst, but the younger girl picked up on a different thought.  
>"I can't stand Jack... he's cruel, vile, sloppy... He's vulgar and repulsive. I don't understand why he's still with us, you'd never think someone could just be so heartless."<br>After this, the tears pooling in Hikari's eyes had become too heavy for her young baby blue eyes and spilled over. Amane pulled her into a tight hug, unconsciously stroking her hair. "Amane, I'm sorry, I shouldn't trouble you with this. It's not my place, and we've only just met. You must think..."  
>"Hey, Hikari, it's all good, okay?" Amane looked down and she swore for a faint second that there was a halo hidden above her blonde hair. "I want to help you"<p>

Oh God, did Amane want so desperately to help this little girl. She pulled her even tighter into her embrace.  
>Hikari squeezed her arms tighter around the older girl, and her hands grabbed softly, loosely, onto Amane's shirt. Her tears started falling onto it again, but Amane did nothing to keep them off, only holding Hikari and stroking her hair to calm her down.<br>Amane remembered that this Jack wanted her home within the hour, and in whatever authority he had, she didn't want to bring Hikari trouble. And by the sound of the man's harsh temperance, for the small blonde girl it could mean danger. She hated watching this little girl cry...  
><em>Was this man and his friends really that bad to be around?<em> She thought of neighbor, and realized that it definitely could be. If this Jack guy had the same temper her neighbor did... _This could be bad for Hikari._ Amane wondered now where the awful man had gotten himself holed into. It couldn't possibly this coincidental...  
>"C'mon, I wouldn't want you to be late."<br>Hikari nodded again, and they walked through the stable, though Amane's hand never left Hikari's shoulder. They walked together in step. She once again helped Hikari onto her motorcycle, and they swiftly left the park. The ride to Hikari's house was silent, but the pull of Hikari's embrace around the tomboy's waist shouted a clear voice to Amane- please let everything be okay.  
>Before long, they were there, back at the one story, pale yellow home. A car was parked sloppily in the middle of the driveway. Amane again walked Hikari to the porch, and turned to her reiterating, "Give me a call if you need anything, okay?"<br>Hikari nodded, and gave Amane one last hug. She waved goodbye as Amane drove away, going back to the park to train as best as she could with her mind definitely somewhere else. Something felt awfully wrong here, but she hoped Hikari would be alright. She turned the corner heading straight for the park, thinking of little Hikari the rest of the afternoon.

Hikari flopped onto her bed, finally, at around ten thirty at night. She had called Yaya earlier to briefly describe her day thus far before the 'party', and said she probably wouldn't be able to talk afterwards. And how right she was. Hikari was exhausted from playing waitress with her mother for Jack and his 'friends'. She remembered the greasy guy that almost made her gag with his constant hand motions. He was always reaching to touch her and her mother, especially after the drinks started making their rounds. They hollered loudly throughout the evening, griping about work and 'lousy' women. Hikari had no interest to understand what they meant.

"Som'tim's y' just gotta smack 'em 'n place, y'know? If you need som'thin' done, y' gotta shove 'em in tha 'ight directi'n. Maybe tussle 'em up a bit" One of them said, half plastered before he even arrived at the house. The others around him laughed, and Jack took it upon himself to demonstrate with her mother- while Hikari was still in the room. This one too had come from America, and their grating destruction of her language and lack of respect for anything appalled her. Hikari wondered what could've possibly driven these disgusting people here. Most of their conversations she couldn't comprehend, as it was majorly spoken in a raucous form of English she had no hope to understand. It was when they 'attempted' to speak ion her tongue that she knew it was either meant to be degrading or ask (poorly) for something.

At one point one of the men actually native to Japan spoke up, though not in any kind of defense for their behavior. "Hey, y'heard whose taking an interest in the latest development over in Capitol? They said his some brat on his way through corporate ranks. Some shark's his old man, I guess he's looking for people to take on a private matter. Doesn't hire two men from the same job though."

Jack grinned his awful, shit-eating, I-know-something grin as he spoke, but obviously said nothing. Hikari guessed it was more likely his drinks were hitting him, or whatever he had spiked them with, and had no control over his bodily functions. Soon after the cluster of creeps began to head home, one way or another in their various states of sobriety. The 'slob', as Yaya described him, who talked earlier before Jack had groped her mom, wanted Hikari to fetch him the leftovers from the kitchen while he stood outside and talked to Jack privately before leaving, and gave Hikari that odd, nasty smile upon returning. Seeing him grin like that was more disturbing than it was disgusting, and she knew there was something hidden in it, but she didn't understand what. She remembered getting that same scary look one night from a very drunk Jack. Upon seeing it again, she had promptly hid in her room for the rest of the night.

She checked her phone for anything from Amane or Yaya, but nothing came up. She was too tired to text Yaya, who would surely drive her crazy with her murder plots for Jack. She knew her friend meant only for her well being, but Jack wasn't worth getting arrested over, plus, her mother did love him. How, Hikari did not know. _If THAT was love, I want no part of it_, she reminded herself.  
>This had strangely turned her thoughts back to Amane. Hikari looked over at her clock- it read 10:32. Amane had answered her phone pretty late last night... Hikari gnawed again at her lip, once more caught with indecision. What would she talk to her about anyway? Would she rant to her about the horrors from that evening? No, that was something she only dared spoke to Yaya about, and she was too tired to hear Yaya flip out and demand that Hikari allow her to come and steal her away from there. She decided it would be too risky to be caught on the phone twice in a row this late, so she sent her a message, simply saying :<strong>Hi Amane<strong>  
>She got a reply almost instantly: <strong>Hey, is everything okay?<strong>  
>Hikari remembered Amane asking to call if something went wrong. Hoping to reassure her, she sent back: <strong>Yeah, just another dinner party was all. Some man gave this weird speech about women, and gave me this weird smile before leaving.<strong>  
><strong>Do you know who?<strong> Amane replied just as quickly.  
><strong>It was just someone Jack works with. He's been around before, he came from America with Jack<strong>. Hikari shuddered, again remembering the creepy, nasty looking man.  
>Hikari waited but a minute before Amane asked: <strong>Will you come to the park tomorrow? It seems like a long walk, so I can pick you up. If you'd like, of course, don't feel obligated if you've got plans.<strong>  
>Hikari could've laughed at the sick humor of it. <em>What would be worth missing out on spending yet another day with Amane? <em>:**Yes, I'd love too!**

Was this another date? Or was Hikari reading too much into it?  
><strong>What time should I come and get you?<strong>  
>She thought about it momentarily, trying to consider Amane's training schedule: <strong>How's eight thirty?<strong>

Hikari's mother and Jack would be either at work or still sleeping by then.  
><strong>Works for me :)<strong>  
>Hikari squealed into her pillow. She thought that it was so adorable that Amane would send her a smiley face. The Prince, the unstoppable, collected and cool Ootori Amane, using emojis. It was as cute as it was unbelievable.<br>_Cute... did I really? Amane-sempai..._  
>She remembered then, too, that on the news earlier they mentioned there would be a dinner for the racers tomorrow night, the ones who would be racing the day after at the city track. It was partly a charity thing, but the newscasters joked that it was for the jockeys to size up the competition. She mentioned the evening to Amane, asking if she would like Hikari to leave early so she could go home and get ready.<br>It seemed like Amane had a different idea: **Actually, I hadn't been thinking of going...but if you wanna come with me, I'd go.**  
>Hikari could have died from her heart going into such a craze! Now <strong>that<strong> was definitely a date! She felt like dancing and singing and laughing and crying blissful tears of joy! A night out at dinner with _The_ Prince Amane Ootori? Her summer was getting more and more rapidly unreal.  
><em>Oh god<em>, she thought, _is it possible that I died sometime tonight, and I am floating in heaven? _

It was likely Hikari would be free to do whatever for the entire night. She wanted to bounce to the heavens to thank the angels.  
><strong>I would absolutely love to go Amane! :D<strong> she sent, adding as an after thought:** Sorry, I'm just super excited now. It sounds like it'll be fun**  
>Hikari imagined hearing Amane's warm laugh as she replied: <strong>Haha, it should be. I've never actually been to one. I'm glad to be taking a friend with me, it'll be less intimidating. Maybe they won't eat me alive if I'm responsible for getting you home.<strong>  
><em>It's so adorable the way she jokes around,<em> Hikari thought; _calm down, you sound like one of those obsessive fan girls_. **I'm sure we can get out alive. You're the amazing Amane, aren't you?**

**Well, if they call me amazing, wait until they meet you.**  
>Hikari lit up inside like she had swallowed the sun. Was Amane really asking her to dinner, saying to Hikari that she felt happy in her company AND complimenting her? Hikari didn't know what to do with herself! How was any of this real? She barley contained her happiness- her sheer joy that Amane was in her life, someone who she could now call a friend, someone who, Hikari hoped she was right about, and honestly cared about her. She jumped off her bed, wildly awake now, spinning with her pillow in her embrace, jumping and giggling as quiet as humanly possible, ecstatic at Amane's adorable nature. Hikari had finally found someone to bring her the happiness and comfort she so longingly ached for. She sent back to Amane, a small flush across her face now: <strong>I understand, honest :) Amane-sempai, it's so nice of you to take me, I really appreciate it.<strong>  
>The two of them went on messaging each other, taking about whatever had come to mind from there- Star Bright, Hikari's singing, Amane's tournaments, what schools they'd gone too. Amane had graduated a year before last summer. She told Hikari about the fan girl chaos that had caused her to move, and they were actually laughing about how ridiculous it seemed now. Then Amane had started talking about the apartment, and her infamous upstairs neighbor. Hikari the told her about Jack, who had lived in an apartment near Kawasaki for a while before finally moving in with her and her mother. After thinking of the impossibilities (but really, how many nasty, alcoholic Americans could there be in Japan?), they agreed that it was definitely strange, and it was best to let it be and not to jinx anything. Hikari imagined what Amane's apartment looked like, trying to grasp the fact that her Prince didn't live in a grandiose mansion. She chided herself for being so silly, allowing her image of the tomboy rider as a prince to envelop her actual lifestyle.<br>Hikari giggled, getting underneath her sheets, as she felt herself getting suddenly very tired. She caught herself wishing that Amane was there next to her, and wasn't sure how she felt about her fluttering heart's betrayal of her resolution to stay away from romance.

Was that in fact what was happening with them now? Was this truly something Hikari felt could be considered attraction? She knew that each passing day her crush, if that's what it was, on Amane would just grow stronger and stronger, and it irritated her profusely that she hadn't had the sense to be more honest with herself. Yes, she definitely knew she was attracted to Amane- her personality was warm and inviting. Her confidence made Hikari feel comfortable to be around, whereas Yaya's had always made her a bit timid. It was odd to think of Yaya and Amane side by side, and Hikari changed her thoughts back to Amane. There was definitely a physical attraction to her as well- how could Hikari deny that Amane had the most beautiful brown eyes she'd ever seen? They were deep and alluring, piercing even when she was focused. And those muscles of hers, they made her look so unbearably handsome! Hikari was shocked at how honest she was being to herself, and knew it probably wasn't appropriate for her to think of her sempai that way. She couldn't help it though. Once the thoughts started rolling in, they wouldn't stop. She had to ask herself, was it because of her fame and mystery that Hikari was so attracted to, or was it genuinely now because of the person she discovered Amane was?

It was now close to midnight, Hikari felt like she was about to pass out, her excitement and pondering had worn her out again. She apologized to Amane, who replied quickly: **Hey, it's no problem kiddo, I'll see you tomorrow, right? :)**

Hikari smiled, gushing about Amane's texting habits, but her eyes were dropping again, themselves exceptionally tired from the day's embarrassing tears. She found the phone charger by her bed, and plugged it into her phone.

**Of course! I can't wait.** She smiled softly as it sent.

**Neither can I. Sleep tight Hikari**.

Soon after, she spent her night blissfully dreaming of riding behind Amane on Star Bright through a meadow, stopping to kiss in the sunset.

* * *

><p>Amane put her phone onto the charger beside her lamp stand by the couch, cursing it's bad battery as it was almost dead, and turned it off. She was excited for her day with Hikari tomorrow, and a bit anxious for their dinner... date?... that evening. She was a bit worried however to learn the younger girl was still in school; how couldn't she tell? But, in all honesty, it didn't really matter to Amane. Who would care to notice anyway? Besides, Hikari just illuminated the world around the her, so who wouldn't want her around?. She remembered Hikari had told her she was in her school's choir, and imagined of what to hear her singing would be like.<br>_I'll bet she's got the voice of an angel_, the blue haired girl thought, watching the two birds flying back into their tree. Amane went into her bedroom, thinking of how Hikari had held onto her when they were riding together, how it made the thrill of riding with Star Bright just that much more intoxicating. She also remembered the sadness in Hikari's brilliant blue eyes before she left...  
>And she remembered how she wanted to hold Hikari and comfort her. For someone she had hardly known for two days, Amane found herself feeling eager to protect the smaller girl, and make her feel cared for.<br>She hadn't felt this way before.  
>"Huh," she wondered out loud. "Maybe I'm just strange."<br>She turned off her bedroom light, and huddled into her blanket. That night, Amane had dreamt of standing in the Stables with Hikari, holding her hand while they leaned against the stable wall. Moonlight flooded in from the makeshift window atop the building where the walls were cut to meet, escaping the thunderous rain that was pouring from outside. The shine caressed Hikari's hair and face, a glow behind her shimmered into small white feathered wings. Amane, although asleep, felt something stir in her something she hadn't before recognized. Instinctively, she moved to do something she hadn't done before. Compelled by the tugs and pulls deep in her heart, Amane had leaned in to kiss the little angel.


	5. Blame It On the Rain (He Is We)

**Blame It On The Rain**

Hikari woke up close to eight that morning, stretching out on her bed. She looked over to see the time on her clock, and panicked. "Oh no! I'll be so late! Oh no..."

She fretted around her room, desperately trying to find something decent to wear as she realized Amane would be picking her up that morning, and nearly fell into a panic. Finding a white tank top and light blue jeans, which matched the earrings she'd left in from the day before, she slapped on her white converse, a birthday gift from Tsubomi and Yaya.

At a quarter after, she was ready for the day, but had completely forgotten about her evening. Sighing heavily, she stared hopelessly into her closet, hoping something would jump out at her from within, something that would be good enough for Amane to bring her to such a special dinner in. Giving up quickly, she packed a pair or ornate white sandals with a strap for her ankle, and a soft yellow dress with a white collar, her favorite, in a small green bag for that night's dinner with Amane. The thought of it made Hikari's heart bounce. This was by far the turning out to be the best week so far of her sixteen year old life. She grabbed another apple from the kitchen, and waited out in the backyard, her phone in her pocket waiting for Amane's call.

The young blonde girl listened to the birds and watched them flutter about the tree. She thought they were the most beautiful creatures in the world. She began to hum a tune from which she learned when she was very young, all the way from preschool. Soon, however, her phone interrupted once again, buzzing a call from Amane.

"Hey, I'm almost there, I got stuck at a red light."  
>Hikari replied quickly "It's okay, I'll meet you out front!"<p>

She hung up, bounced off, saying goodbye to the birds, and skipped gleefully across the house, from the kitchen to living room, opened the door to her front porch, and walked out again into the midmorning sun. She took in a deep breathe, and released it happily, seeing Amane pull up not much later.

They smiled at each other, waving hello. Hikari remembered the field of sunset from her dreams the night before, and looked at Amane as the handsomely pretty woman she is, watching the sunlight peak through the clouds as she approached the bluenette, adding a glow to hair and face. She wondered what Amane had dreamt of as the older girl leaned in to hug her. She caught a whiff of Amane's smell, a mix of something clean but not like perfume, and it almost reminded her of an oak tree. She blushed as she met Amane's eyes again, hoping she liked raspberries and apples. She quickly strapped on the helmet Amane handed to her, and then situated herself on the bike with the older girl's help. As they headed on out to the main road, Amane turned her head and asked, "So, how are you this morning?"

Hikari, her arms tightly firm around Amane's waist, answered, "Pretty good, yourself Amane-senpai?"  
>The older girl laughed, teasing Hikari. "Hey, just Amane , remember? And not too bad, I slept really well last night"<br>_I dreamt that we kissed last night and it's killing me to find out if my imagination can do your lips any justice.  
><em>"You?" Amane winced at the own vulgarity of her mind.  
>Hikari smiled. "Not bad myself."<br>_You have no idea... so kind, so dashing...  
><em>Thinking this, Hikari tightened her grip around Amane's waist, even as tight as it already was.

They soon arrived at the park, asked the man again for entrance, parked the motorcycle, and went into the stables. They walked side by side, seeing Star Bright at the end. Amane fetched a bag of apples from her backpack, giving one to Hikari to feed him. He chomped it down in one bite, nuzzling Hikari's cute little hand as he chewed. Amane opened up the stall so he could put his saddle on and grabbed two helmets. Hikari, however surprisingly, declined. "Amane, your race is tomorrow. I want you to get as much practice as you can." She smiled, her eyes shining up at Amane, causing them both to blush. "Well, alright... But if you wanna ride, just shout okay?"

"I'll be right there with you Amane-san," Hikari answered. She honestly wanted to watch how Amane trained. She wanted to see how her body moved and reacted with Star Bright's up close. She wanted to watch the long, strenuous tasks that required daily repetition to grow such a synced, natural bond, making them capable of defying air and gravity together. Amane might've been a sports star to most people, but to Hikari, she was a dare devil on that horse. She was a unique, singular living wonder of the world, and Hikari adored her as she rode across the field, reading Star Bright reigns back for a leap over the fence to get in. Of course Amane wouldn't have just walked Star Bright in- she was ready to finally be a bit of a show off. Amane saw how intently Hikari was watching them, and rounded off for another lap, pushing Star Bright as hard as she could. Hikari watched enthusiastically, entranced even.

She thought about the first race she watched Amane in. The Rider almost had been neck and neck against a much, much older rider, someone with at least a dozen years experience over her. Hikari watched from her seat in amazement, even before it had started. People behind her had been swearing up and down the whole time that anyone with any sense would bet on the older rider, as she would've without a doubt leave Amane in the dust. Hikari found herself hanging onto her seat white-knuckled, wishing silently that Amane would pull ahead and win. She didn't bet, but looking at her from her distanced seat, she could still see her focus in the sport and passion for Star Bright, plainly see standing side by side with the horse, scratching his ears and looking like, from Hikari's view, they were holding a conversation, much like teammates before a ball game. The announcer came on, warning the racers that the event would start in less than a minute. Amane stroked Star Bright's mane one last time, then climbed up to his saddle, steering them into their stall, labeled number 2. At the call of the buzzer, the horse riders and their partners emerged viciously from their stalls, aside from Amane- who came out like as graceful as a cat, with Star Bright leading them, and never slowing down, resistant to the wind and natural forces. Elegantly they rode, but determination was far more immediate and evident. Against the older rider, some argued in front that she was struggling, others that she was being teased by the older rider, making it an interesting race, and others yet argued it was the other way around. Hikari didn't listen, mostly she didn't care. But Amane and Star Bright had pulled through; the bluenette had spurred Star Bright on in with just enough push in the last moments, forcing him into catapulting over the finish line. With a winning signature smile, she again captivated the young girl. Hikari jumped out of her seat, cheering and clapping when Amane won. Yaya had to pull her down so not to fall over the railing, laughing all the while. Her heart bounced, realizing how much of a fool she probably made of herself. Amane then turned to go shake the older woman's hand, the other racers already sulking away as they realized it'd really been no competition.  
><em>She's always nice, to everybody. I can't believe of all the people she could have fawning over her, she'd pick me to have around...She has to know it's impossible not to fall for those warm brown eyes or sugar-sweet smile...<em>

Hikari smiled in her memories, coming back to the present, still watching Amane. _So amazing... So handsome..._

Amane slowed Star Bright suddenly, looking curiously about, and then felt a rain drop onto her bare shoulder. Remembering what Amane said about Star Bright's fear of the rain and thunder, she almost started running to Amane to help her, but the bluenette yanked her stallion's reigns back and sped towards Hikari, and got close enough to grab her with one arm and pulled her up to rest her horizontally in her lap.  
><em>Whoa, she IS really strong...<em> Hikari looked up again to Amane, but became distracted by a low roll of thunder, and Star Bright was a slow stir of anxiety under them. They raced back to the stables, Amane's arm securing the little girl, Hikari's hands clasped around the rider's neck. Star Bright began to fidget worse as the clouds began to roll in. They had just gotten inside and off the white stallion when thunder struck again, making the tame creature go from skittish to wild. Hikari went to help soothe him, but Amane turned to her and said, "No, stay against the wall. If he kicks you, it's gunna be nasty"  
>She complied, suddenly nervous and scared for both Amane and Star Bright. It wasn't his fault he was so frightened, she wished that he could be calmed easily, because, well...with things looking the way they did... and if Amane got hurt...<br>Star Bright reared up and his hooves lay but inches from Amane's face, but the older woman remained as calm and collected as could be in the face of the imminent danger. Hikari's eye shot open wide in fear, and she used her hand to cover her jaw-dropped mouth followed quickly by a frightened scream. The stallion whimpered and whinnied as the next blast roared in the sky, but Amane backed away, putting her hands slowly out to show him no harm. The thunder clapped again, and he bucked, racing from one end of the stable to the other, knocking right into Amane. Hikari tried running to her, but Amane shouted for her to stay back. The rider quickly sprung to her feet, and aimed a lunge right at Star Bright, grappling her arms around his neck as she flew over and contortioned her body awkwardly onto his back. Minutes passed by like hours as Amane slowly reigned in the terrified horse. Star Bright had just enough control over himself to allow Amane to lead him back into the stall. Once inside, he calmed slowly, feeling strangely secured in the walls.  
>Amane locked the door, sighed and chuckled with her head hung, walking over to her younger friend. She dropped her stance into a lean against the wall closest to Hikari, turned again to her and laughed again. "Crazy horse."<br>Hikari was still a little stunned, but soon was overtaken in laughter. Her laugh was contagious, and Amane started laughing right along with her and embraced her, the pair of them still giggling.  
>Amane, now looking exhausted, released Hikari and slid down against the wall. She looked up at her and motioned for her to come down next to her.<br>They sat in silence, peacefully watching the rain pour from the trapezoid-shaped opening from the top of the stable. On the bottom perch, two birds flew in, seeking shelter, and nestled close to the wall together. Hikari looked at them and felt an overpowering sense of happiness for the small animals. Her hands fell to her sides, and hers briefly brushed against Amane's. She quickly pulled hers into her lap, trying to ignore the fire in her cheeks, ignited by the small sparks from where their skin had touched. She looked to Amane, who had a small pink in her face when she too stole a look at Hikari. Unsure of what to say, they looked away, momentarily, but found they couldn't keep from looking at each other. It was as if a magnet had been placed inside of them with the small touch. Why now though? They had touched before; they had hugged and rode horses and motorcycles together.  
>What was stirring now inside of them?<br>"Hikari"  
>Amane softly whispered the smaller girl's name, unaware that the two of them were leaning slowly but continuously closer to each other. The pull of the other...<br>_Those eyes... They look even cuter against your pink cheeks... But... What if you already have someone else...?_  
>"Hai...?"<br>Hikari sat nervously, smelling Amane's oak clean and horse smell. It was beautiful to her, but...

_She's so close... Those brown eyes could hold me forever... How I wish she wanted me... How I wish I know what she wants... I'm probably taking this all the wrong way...  
><em>Amane was looking, falling, drowning into Hikari's big beautiful blue eyes. _She could want me...  
><em>Hikari swam and drank her mind's fill of Amane's eyes, until only her face alone existed in the small world of the stable. _Would she want me...?  
><em>The two birds in the sill of the stable filled the girls' ears, but it went almost unnoticed, only drawing them just inches from each other.  
>Hikari bit her lip, worried she'd do something wrong. Why had she said her name? Was she going to tell her that she wasn't interested in her like that? Her gnawing was turning into a habit. Amane saw this and put a warm, strong hand on her shoulder. The glance down from the blue eyes to her lips... Amane now found herself staring into them both. She wished she could make Hikari stop biting into those full... pink... gorgeous... round lips...<p>

_Just go for it baka._

_Please do it..._

_What if you scare her away._

_I don't want you to leave me..._

_What if you pull away? Will you hate me?_

_Does you really not like me?_

_Will you know I've never kissed anyone before?_

_Will you know I've never done this before?_

"H...h...hai, Amane-senpai...?" Hikari stuttered out again, still at war with her mind. She craved to know what was going on with Amane.  
>"Hey, Amane!" the two girls jumped up in the same instant, their faces and necks beet red. Amane never finished her thought as the stable manager came in, but took no notice of their closeness, and continued to say, "I pulled the bike into my garage when I saw the clouds rolling in, but I figured you would want to peel outta here as soon as you could."<br>Amane nodded to the man, replying, "Thank you."  
>He nodded back, throwing the hood of his jacket over his head, and ran back out into the rain.<br>Amane looked at Hikari and thought of the ironically cold ride home in the summer rain. She took her own black jacket off, reveling her red and blue baseball-cut tee, and put it over Hikari's shoulder's. She looked up at Hikari's eyes, seeing the gratefulness in them...amongst something else...  
>Hikari touched Amane's sleeve, nervous as hell, but the blur of her heartbeat pounded a string of strength into her. It wasn't her words that needed it; it was her extreme nervousness to touch Amane, even in that simple friendly way. She had no idea that its flames were now coursing through Amane to her melting heart. She only simply asked, "Wont you need it?"<br>"No Hikari, I'll be okay," Amane smiled at her concern, wanting to assure her even more. Allowing Amane to pull the arms of the jacket onto Hikari's was almost taking on more than the Rider could chew. Hikari's apple and raspberry smell filled her head again, making the stable swirl around, making Hikari look that much closer to her. She made a small gasp when Hikari slid her slender arms around her torso, hugging her. She instinctively returned the hug, her own strong and defined arms pulled tightly around the younger, smaller girl's back. She combed one hand through the luscious blonde hair.  
>"Thank you, Amane, for all you've done for me this week" Hikari looked back up into those big brown eyes and was once again falling into them, and she wondered if this was what it was like falling in love. <em>No, that's ridiculous. And after three days? Yaya would never let me hear the end of it.<br>_She pushed the thoughts aside, however reluctantly, and continued radiating her large bright smile. Amane smiled, helplessly caught in her net of the cute innocent smile. "Its been all my pleasure" God, did she mean every word of it. "So, Hikari..."she stopped again, now unsure of what to say, so she asked the first thing that popped into her mind as a cover. "Uh, did you still want to come to the dinner with me?" She slapped herself mentally for being stupid. _You idiot, make it sound like you forgot why don't you?!  
><em>Hikari nodded enthusiastically, answering, "Yes!"


	6. Heart On My Sleeve (Mary Lambert)

**Heart On My Sleeve (Mary Lambert)**

They had left promptly after the interruption. Hikari looked out into the storm." Will you be alright to drive in this?" She shook a little from the heat-depraving bullets raining down above them, and zipped up Amane's jacket.

"I've been through worse. Just hang on tight, okay?" Amane offered her hand to help her up, to which Hikari took with a fumbling grace, and at once, they left.

Amane rode slowly in the rain, trying to stay focused on the blurring rode ahead. Hikari, now behind her again on the motorcycle, held on tightly around the bluenette's waist. Even though the jacket and the rain had taken most of it off, the younger girl noticed some of Star Bright's white hair on her companion's shirt, some of them still blowing away in the rushing wind and pouring rain. She rested her head against Amane's back, closing her eyes and felt her breathing, relaxing as the bike rode on and on.

Amane felt it all, the tensing of her arms, the closeness of where she sat, where she rested her head against her like a child. She intensified every movement in her mind without perceiving the smallness of her gestures; it was a surreal feeling to have anyone that close to her for that just a few last turns, the Rider flew smoothly past the gates, gliding past the fence with a single sign stating _'Tokutaro Apartments'_. Amane then felt Hikari raise her head when she slowed the bike down. Hikari watched as they passed by a few three story buildings, painted with blues and greens with tan roofs. Amane parked her motorcycle in front of one of the pale blue buildings, next to a lone tree, whose branches swung in the heavy, icy wind, protecting the motorcycle from the elements above it. Hikari started shivering, despite the warmth that had come from Amane's jacket. The older girl looked behind her to help Hikari off the bike, and saw her shake a little, with her arms crossed snugly against her flat stomach. Amane zipped up the jacket, as it had come halfway undone on the long drive there. She got her off the bike, but left her arms around her shoulders in an attempt to keep her warm, trying desperately to ignore the intense closeness of their bodies.  
>Amane led them up the stairs to the second floor, stopping at a door marked 243 and reached into her pocket for her keys. She grabbed the third, and last, one on the ring, and unlocked the door. She opened it into the apartment, allowing Hikari to go in first, and then came in herself to turn on the lights. When they came on, Hikari's expression looked star struck.<p>

What abundance of personality decorated the small apartment! Hikari's eyes scanned the room slowly, trying to take in every picture and piece of furniture around. The couches were simple but homely looking, and a older television displaying a model of an elfish, green-clad boy jumping a fence with a sword in hand. White walls were strewn with pictures of Amane and Star Bright, particularly the just the white stallion, in a variety of places- some at the track, one photograph from the park field, and two or three from what Hikari guessed to be the famous school, Spica. Hikari had almost gone there, but Jack had 'convinced' her mother she go to the school just barely within reasonable walking distance. She didn't complain, because that would mean she would be going to school again with Yaya, and later Tsubomi-chan and they could all sing in the school choir together. She had wondered though what her high school years would've been like, at a school where education was more highly valued than the social lives of it's attending athletes and public figures. By the look of it from the photographs, it looked breath-taking and beautiful, and so huge that no matter at which angle the photo was taken from it showed up somewhere in the background. The young girl considered once again what it would've been like there, this time knowing that the even-then renowned Ootori-sama attended. It was still unlikely to Hikari to believe she would've had the chance to know her than. It was merely coincidence they had met at all; surely she would've been too busy during her school years to have noticed her anyway.  
>She walked deeper into the apartment, and out of the corner of her eye she saw something even more spectacular. There on the back wall facing from the small cut away that served as a kitchen hung a painting of a pinto, reared up on its hind legs, and mirroring it was undoubtedly Star Bright, their reflections glimmering in a pond in the moonlight, out in an open field. It was by far more beautiful than any other picture, but upon Hikari's closer examination, it wasn't actually a photograph! Amane placed her hand on Hikari's shoulder from behind her, looking down at her, then back to the picture.<p>

"That's the Beau Knight, just as fine a horse as Star Bright if you ask me. This was done by some of the folks at Lulim. They were all too eager, something bout a new club." She smiled again, shaking her head.  
>"There are two copies; the other is with his owner," Amane explained, looking at the pinto. "Beau belongs to...well, someone I used to know. She's only someone I race against now and then. I guess she finally found something worth her time."<p>

Amane had spoken bitterly, and looked down from the picture, gazing at the palms of her hands. When she spoke again, it was softer and closer to her normal clam tone. "She used to be a good friend of mine... Do you remember seeing a Kenjo-san participate in the last race right? Kaname... I'm not sure exactly what happened, but she changed during her senior year at Spica. She lost a lot of herself in the wake of..." She paused again. "Wait here"  
>Amane left for her room and reemerged a few minutes later. She sat on the small dark blue couch and motioned for Hikari to sit down next to her. Hikari saw in her hands a framed photograph of two blue-haired girls, one with a darker color and slimmer, slicked style. She guessed this was Kaname-san. She had a darker look in her eye, and her smile just didn't seem as warm as Amane's. Their arms were around each others shoulders regardless, and Hikari thought they almost looked like angels- so similar, but one definitely for an honest and strong good; another designed for sinister and mischievous evil. Each of their free hands held a side of a golden trophy adorned with a pair of horses of the top.<br>"This was a regional tournament we won in our junior year together. The best pair of racers from schools region-wide came competing in three separate races. One together, and one alone for each. Miator's pair was tough- in each race they were so close to beating us. Kaname was swearing when she landed in the same singles race as Rykujo. It was interesting seeing Tamao there, she never struck me as a horse rider; she was known for her work on the school's paper. She had to be no more than a sophomore at the time, but she was regarded as the best around. Rumor was that she and Rykujo became inseparable during their work together, and Tamao offered to fill in for one of the Hanazono clan . She probably still attends Miator, now that I think on it," Amane smiled as she reminisced. "Anyway, she did wonderfully, and they averaged both of our paired times, making Spica first, by hardly four seconds. The tournament was right near the end of the year, so naturally it would be a highlight for our record that year. Kaname invited this girl called Momomi, probably to impress her. She took her out to dinner somewhere that night, while I hung out with the two riders from Miator. We caught up on how things had gone since Rykujo and I had last gone to school together. Kaname came back to the bus for the ride home with Momomi and didn't really seem to notice me. It was the last day she ever really talked to me. It was like something changed in her. I miss her sometimes, and it pains me knowing it probably had nothing to do with either of us. She was the only true friend I had in school... Every one else was only looking for a bit of glory. But Kaname... I guess that's what love does." Amane's eyes grew bluer, and had to close them for a moment. Seeing the pain she was in, Hikari turned to hug her, and they sat embraced into each other for the longest time. Amane stilled her breathing with the thunder in her chest; the rush of emotion colliding haphazardly between what she'd lost and what she hoped she'd found. She wanted Hikari to look up at her, she wanted her to read her face and eyes and tell her what could possibly be seen jumping and bouncing inside at that moment. What could have possibly been driving her to Hikari in her pain, though she had no connection to it.  
>Amane wanted to kiss her so badly in that moment it was killing her.<br>And then she pulled back., disturbed by the carnal coveting. Amane looked away, it wasn't right for her to be so adamant in her desire for a girl she felt she barely knew. She knew she could have just reached out to do it, but what would the consequences have been? Why has such a heart-wrenching moment of her life have her compelled towards these animalistic needs? Hikari was young, and seemingly more vulnerable than Amane was when it came to the memories of Kaname. Why would her reaction be to press herself upon the girl who'd been the first true friend she'd made in a long, long time? And why was it that of all people, of every person she never had feelings for that pressed their advances anyway, had she chosen the one person who didn't come onto her like a starved dog outside a deli dumpster? Could it have been because of Hikari's genuine desire to be with Amane the person instead of Amane the famous jockey that she felt this intense sentiment growing? Or was she wrongly interpreting the gratefulness she should have been feeling? The Rider hadn't the slightest idea how to tell her how she felt, or why those feelings were there, but she did know she needed to make up an excuse very quickly for why she was acting the way she was.

"Er... _Gonome_, but uh... I have to take a shower. I wouldn't want you to have to go to some fancy dinner with me all sweaty." Amane explained, giving her a good reason to shrug off the sudden jerk away. If she smelled bad, it was understandable she wouldn't want to be close to someone, yes? "If you want, you can go set your bag in my 's right across the hall from the bathroom."

Hikari released the tension she'd been holding in her shoulders, wondering if what she saw in Amane's captivating brown orbs were what caused her to pull away so suddenly. And just as she started to believe in something beautiful happening... "Is it alright if I changed in there?

"Not a problem," Amane answered. She felt her heart pound suddenly when her eyes looked to Hikari's shirt. She'd seen a white bra strap poking out from her thin tank's strap, nothing she hadn't seen in locker rooms, for far less modest sights could obviously have been seen there. Yet she struggled to extinguish the unexpected flame of desire. She quickly excused herself and left for the bathroom after retrieving an outfit from her bedroom. Just as she gulped down the last wisp of her lust, the heat of the falling water raised to her mind the image of Hikari getting undressed in her room. Just a few feet from her. Just as she saw more in her mind than her shirt falling to the floor...

Amane knew in her heart that Hikari meant much more to her than she was ready to admit, but what extent was understandable? Amane was still unaccustomed to desire, attraction, and the eluding idea of love and... Well, love-making. She had never felt such heavily stirred emotions before for anyone but the little blonde girl, and only now was she understanding what all lay in those feelings. But why so strong? And why so seemingly vulgar? She never felt like she'd repressed herself; there was no desire for anyone, therefore it had never been a subject in her life. Knowing better than to keep her mind eager to explore, she turned the temperature of the shower way, way down and pressed her thoughts to other matters for the evening.

_I wonder why __Amane__ moved into an apartment instead of another house. _Hikari thought for a second. _Probably because it would be harder sneaking into an apartment complex than just a house. _She laughed seeing several Dean's List amongst a High School Diploma from Spica, somewhat stacked unordered underneath her TV stand in a small box. She giggled; _So she was a bit of a book worm then? That's adorable!_She walked down the small hallway, where one door was shut, presumably the bathroom. She heard water running and saw light coming from under the door. She turned around, walking into the room with an open door, and blushed, realizing that this was THE Amane Ootori's room, which just happened to be a handful of feet away from her, naked in the shower. She blushed twice as hard, trying desperately to get the image of her long,wet body away from her mind. _Oh goodness, what am I doing? That's completely out of line! Amane-sama isn't some sex symbol! _Yet, she could no longer deny that she was attracted to the older girl.

She turned the light on, and stacks of books and CDs made themselves known to her. Hikari closed the door behind her, setting her green bag onto a small blue and black blanket lying neatly on a one-person sized bed. Hikari slowly glided over to the closet, curiosity overwhelming her. Inside were plenty of pairs of dark blue, grey and black colored jeans, paired on the other side with an array of tee shirts, intermingled with a few dress shirts, mostly blacks and blue and reds. On top of a dresser she saw yet another photograph, this time with a very young Amane, hugging a pony-sized Star Bright outside a stable. A man stood next to the pair, grinning, with laughter in his eyes. He shared the same bluish hair as Amane, same athletic build, same warm, chocolate brown eyes. He didn't look as high-and-mighty as she had pictured him from the story about Star Bright; instead he looked proud, happy for his child. Maybe he truly was happy for Amane, seeing his daughter grow and rise above expectation. After all, he could only be the tomboy's father. Hikari smiled, seeing where Amane had gotten her handsome, princely looks from.

She turned back to her almost forgotten bag on the bed, and pulled out the dress and sandals, which had magically survived the rain completely dry. She quickly undressed, pulling the yellow garment over her head and down her body, smoothing it out until she was pleased with her appearance. She fussed over her hair, hoping it would arrange itself decently without too much work, and left it alone after a few minutes. Strapping on the backs of her sandals, she walked back out to the living room to wait for Amane. She heard the water turn off and the shower curtain pull back, feeling a her heart first stop in her chest, then twist, and finally pound its way up her throat in nervousness. The blonde curled loose strands of hair that had fallen to the side of her face between her fingers while she waited, and when the door opened Hikari gasped.

She couldn't believe how stunning Amane looked. It was just too good to be true that she would be going on a date with this unbelievably handsome girl. She emerged from the hallway wearing a black button-down shirt with a white collar and a thin, dark blue vest. She wore long fitted pants and her racing boots, her comfort in them appealing in an odd way. Amane's blue hair swept carefully across her eye, making her look like the high school sports star that every girl wanted to get with. She walked to the couch, but stopped to say with a soft, "Hikari, you look...breathtaking."

Hikari blushed a small pink, realizing she was going to get a lot of practice controlling her reactions. "Thank you, but... um... Well you look handsome yourself."

Amane looked surprised. "Really? That's a new one."

"Honestly Amane, you do. You look fantastic." Hikari tried to hide her embarrassment. Did she really call another girl handsome out loud? "It's just... Everything about you is striking, and strong, and... Um..."

She faltered, looking away. Amane smiled, then smirked, and sat down next to her. Hikari looked up and they faced each other, not noticing the two birds which Amane had watched the last few nights flying off together in the descending sun. Unconsciously, the blue-haired tomboy once again leaned in close to Hikari, who in turn was doing the same.

_If I only knew what she was thinking,_ they both thought.

Amane, knowing if she wanted this to happen, she would have to make the move. She wouldn't let years of training herself to keep suitors away interfere with her undoubtedly growing feelings for Hikari. Unsure still, she reached her hand out to Hikari's and continued looking in her unwavering blue eyes.

Hikari leaned in closer yet, their faces now but inches apart. That same rush of excitement and fear collided like clashing soldiers; a battle for action rising through their throats. The dominance between them uncertain, the pair both opened their mouths to speak, but nothing came from either of the girls. Instead, they looked at each other, and Amane ignored the uprising fear as best as she could, and grabbed a firm hold of her courage.

"Hikari," she struggled.

"Hai, Amane-senpai?"

Amane struggled with her words, something that had never befallen her before. Calling her senpai again had made it so much harder; it reminded her of both of their inexperience and difficulties with this concept of love, and it resurfaced Amane's fear of abusing this new friendship. Was it possible to keep it this way? Without thinking, just reacting, she slowly leveled her other hand to Hikari's soft cheek, cherishing the warm flesh beneath her palm. She exhaled one last time.

But she stopped herself, removed her hand and kissed one of Hikari's own, and asked lamely, "So, you uh...you ready to go?"

Hikari laughed nervously, unsure of what just happened, but more than willing to go with it. She nodded at Amane, and they both tucked a strand of hair behind their ears that had become misplaced in the intensity. Both of them blushing hard, Hikari nodded, and Amane stood them both up and offered her hand. Hikari took it smiling, and Amane held it tight as they walked out the door.


	7. Can't Fight This Feeling(REO Speedwagon)

**Little Angel ch.7**

**Okay, a bit of an author's note- I've been seeing a lot of commercials and adds about car crashes lately, and it's obviously hurting many more families than I think a lot of people realize. About 1 in every 125 drivers will get into a crash every day. 1 in 500 pedestrians will be hit. Two uncles of mine died in a car crashng their bikes, so even ratios like that...They're still very, very much real.**

**But, onto lighter subjects, here is the next chapter, and I hope you like it. R&R por favor!**

Amane put her vest over Hikari's shoulders as they headed down the stairs of the building. It was still raining, though luckily not as hard. They boarded the bike with their helmets on, and Amane took them slowly out of the complex, and into the main road. After a few minutes on the road, Amane and Hikari heard very faint sirens coming from ahead. They could only be heard on the practically silent street.  
>On the highway, traffic seemed to have halted for some reason. Amane looked around, trying to see ahead of the cars in front of her, but she could see nothing. Finally the pair heard sirens she had heard were again coming from northbound. Amana slowly crept up until they passed the scene. From behind her she heard Hikari gasp.<br>A double wide truck lay wedged between a street light and a compact, n had obviously flown into the wrong lane. Amane tried desperately to ignore the purple Honda motorcycle crushed to scrap metal in the middle. The rider... Well, his helmet the only thing fully intact. Parts of him were stuck to either of the other vehicles. Glass shards screamed death as light fragmented from the bent light above. The man in the truck staggered out and fell face first onto the pavement, cops standing at the ready with handcuffs.  
>Good... I hope you busted your whole fucking face, Amane thought bitterly. What Amane thought to be two women and a young girl lay motionless and very injured in the car. Amane's heart twisted as she saw paramedics try desperately to carefully pick the bodies out of the crunched metal without possibly damaging them further. That girl couldn't be a day older than twelve.<br>She felt Hikari sob into her back, but it was killing Amane she couldn't comfort her. She could do nothing but drive past, because the flow of the greedy traffic pushed her too. She wanted so badly to help those girls, and a chance to plant her boot in that assholes forehead.  
>She felt her own tear swell in her eye, but it wasn't just from sadness at the atrocity, it was hot with anger. Amane pushed ahead, determined to get away from the mess. She couldn't take any more of it, so she couldn't dream of understanding how Hikari was taking it, whose sobs grew heavier in the aging night. Amane needed to see her face; she needed to comfort the small fragile girl.<br>Amane pulled in to the side of a gas station not far up the road. Hikari was still deep in tears, and almost didn't notice their pit stop. She looked at Amane with huge heart broken eyes, like she had personally lost those people.  
>"Hikari...please...I know that was bad..." Bad? It was horrendous! It was hardly a few feet from us, and we had a clear view! Oh, poor Hikari...oh you poor little girl... "Hikari, come here"<br>Hikari nodded, obeying the prince's warm command, and threw her arms across Amane, wrapping them more tightly into each other than when she had been riding behind her.  
>"Amane, that could've been you! It could've been you smashed between those two cars! I...I... Amane!"<br>She cried louder into Amane, pushing her face into her chest. The rain was not helping the occasion, and Hikari was again cold even with the dark blue vest on. Amane tried to cover as much of the poor sobbing girl as much as possible with her arms in a tight embrace, but she still shook. "Amane-senpai... Promise you'll be safe?"  
>"Of course, Hikari." The girls stood there for a minute, Hikari sobbing into Amane. The older girl rubbed her back and kissed her forehead. "Hikari, are you gunna be okay for tonight?"<br>"Hai Amane... I'm so sorry," she whimpered.  
>Amane quickly said back to her, "No, don't be sorry, okay? I can't imagine how badly that must've torn you. Don't apologize Hikari, you didn't cause it. I'm so grateful you weren't the victim either."<br>Hikari looked up to Amane with red, teary eyes. Amane knew that Hikari would forever be concerned about Amane riding her motorcycle. She felt terrible that she was scarred like that now, not even recognizing within herself the possibilities of pain she could encounter, with or without Hikari. She kissed Hikari's lips, hoping to instill into her some hope that everything would be fine. Hikari ran her hands deep into Amane's hair, pressing their bodies closer as a result. _I'm so sorry Hikari. I promise it won't be me. I won't let it be._

She considered starting to look for a truck in the morning before the race. Amane looked at the motorcycle, concerned as to how Hikari would take to riding it now. Either way, it was their only mode of transportation right now, and Amane didn't think walking back however many miles back to the apartment on a busy street at night with a sixteen year old was by any stretch of the imagination safer. They got back on, both of them a little reluctant. Amane knew that the cyclist probably wasn't to blame, but by far suffered the worst. The older girl kept a sharper focus now, and Hikari's hold around her waist seemed impossibly tighter, but she didn't mind. She knew Hikari needed the security. Amane wanted desperately to make the younger feel safe with her. If only she hadn't seen that... I hope she doesn't get nasty nightmares easily...

It was a twenty minute ride to the track stadium where the dinner was being held inside a special V.I.P suite. Amane walked hand in hand with Hikari through the large building, finding their way through the large hallways. Hikari had given back Amane her vest, saying it wouldn't match her dress. They smiled, Hikari now a little nervous, Amane thinking she looked good in anything. She'd look good in my clothes anytime.  
>What the? Amane surprised herself- what in the world had crossed her thoughts? She looked at Hikari again, and figured it had something to do with their improved moods. They continued moving to the suite, where Hikari guessed the owner of the stadium stood. Amane confirmed that it was indeed, the one and only Mr. Sansutke. "He's good natured, a very charming kinda guy," Amane began to tell her. "But he can also be-"<br>"Miss Ootori! I can't believe the rumors were true!"  
>Amane turned her attention to the northerner. He shared many Japanese and Korean features, but a prominently thick head of salt and pepper hair with a bulk nose suggested his underlying Russian heritage. Amane had heard this from him only in confidence.<br>"What rumors, Sansutke-kun?" Amane replied. Hikari they ate a variety of seafood, rice, and vegetables, and later bringing out a small French desert that neither of the girls could pronounce. Amane introduced Hikari to some of the friendlier riders that raced in tomorrow's event. They all commented on how lucky Amane was to have found a stable to keep Star Bright in, instead of the mandatory week and a day at the stadium. But most also commented on her luck with Hikari. The woman from that first race Hikari had watched, who turned out to be a Mrs. Yoin Miyo, complimented them on being a cute couple.  
>"It's good to see young Amane here with someone to finally race for," she winked, causing Amane to look away from growing a bit shy. "I knew would find yourself a pretty little one. Oh come now! Put your arm around her, I see how much you want to!" she laughed as she spoke, although what said she meant. Miyo smiled motherly like at them, proud of them pleasing her. "There. See? That's no so bad; you know you wanted it anyways!" She laughed was surprised at her formality with the man.<br>"Why, the rumors that you've been truckin' around a little blonde girl with you this week." Hikari winced at the American slang. Truckin'. She'd heard it from Jack when he'd talk about carrying something around his job, or driving a buddy home when he was drunk. It seemed that the only plus to Jack and his surroundings was that he himself was never drunk at work.  
>"Yes sir, this is Hikari. Hikari, Mr. Sansutke."<br>"Well, get on in! C'mon, c'mon! It's not like we didn't expect you or anything!" He grinned like a mischievous little child. Hikari knew he meant it by Amane's absence from every other dinner. They bowed to him and entered, and Amane leaned over to whisper, "-very, er, personable." Hikari giggled, and Amane squeezed her hand, the pair smiling at each other.  
>Amane took them to a fairly empty table, and sat down just as Mr. Sansutke, as he put it leaving Hikari and Amane grinning amusedly, "Commenced the congregation!"<p>

Afterwards, again, and bid them farewell. Amane later explained back at their table that Miyo had been like a reigning champion before she started racing her.  
>"And boy did she put me in my place," Amane laughed. "Miyo heard about my high school racing and watched my first real one here at the track for the amateur league. Star Bright's big old heart just barely got us a win. Otherwise, I don't I would've left her the impression I did. She came to me after and we talked about the pro league, and I got really excited. The first time we raced against each other I lost, in third place. It threw me off so much that Star Bright and I worked so hard and still couldn't win pro league. Eventually though, after weeks and weeks and, well, a few more weeks-" Amane winked playfully,"- another race came along, and we won first place."<br>"Was it the Valentine's Day race?" Hikari inquired.  
>"Yeah, why?"<br>"Oh! Because, that was the-" Hikari stopped and felt the rushing blood fill her cheeks. Amane leaned in for her to continue. She took in a deep breathe, and hardly whispered, "That saw the first time I saw you race."

_And since the first moment I saw you with Star Bright that I knew someone had captured my heart. I could die I'm so happy to be so close to you Amane, especially in just this short time. I'm so ecstatic to have met you. You've turned on the sunlight for my days, and even my nights haven't been lonely from dreaming of you. Do you know how amazing you are?  
><em>"It was one of the proudest moments of my life. I'm so happy to know you were there to see it," Amane said, smiling radiantly. She laced Hikari's with her own. "You know, I think I've only won because of you. I don't think if you were there I could've done it"

_I didn't even know you then, but something in me felt different before that race. Someone was expecting me to win. And to finally know that feeling was right, that feeling was You, nothing could make me happier. Hikari, do you know how amazing you are?  
><em>***  
>People were filing out to leave about a quarter to nine. One of the sponsors, Chikaru, hung around with Amane and Hikari for most of the later part of the dinner. Amane and the black haired girl told story after story about odd outcomes and events at races- most in particular, the man that ran streaking across the track right as the race finished asking Miyo to marry him.<br>"The look on her face was priceless!" Amane laughed. "Oh gosh, how I wish I got a picture of it."  
>"Remember the pile of ants he kneeled into?" Chikaru said, giggling so hard Hikari could just understand her. The blonde was laughing just as hard as the older girls though. "Oh, he was screaming bloody murder until the police washed them off."<br>"Poor guy though, he must've been high or something to even think about doing such a crazy thing."  
>"Didn't the police report come back that he was?"<br>"Yep. Sure was."  
>All of the girls spun around at the sudden appearance of Miyo's voice. They looked nervous, but Miyo had a small smile creeping into the corner of her lips. Her silvering hair, with long streaks of a faded brown, sat firm in a classic horse-rider's bun. Her tall stature would've been more intimidating if she had crossed her arms, but she instead joined the younger girls at their table. "I went to see him after the race. I brought my husband, Rashu, with me. Poor man thought I brought him to beat the daylights out of him, despite the iron bars." She closed her eyes and laughed a little. "But the boy was definitely on something. Lsd, they found out. He was so young; I don't understand why he'd chew up his brain... Anyhow, he must be getting out soon." Amane looked to the older woman, and was about to say something. "Oh, don't you start now Amane, you know better than to question the one who teaches," she chided, smiling coolly as Amane stopped her words dead. "He's obviously not allowed back into the track stadium. Doubt he'd try though." Amane grinned, following Chikaru and Hikari. Hikari looked to Amane, seeing the respect for Miyo swell in her eyes. She knew what Miyo meant to her from how she talked about her earlier. The blonde girl noticed how Amane didn't mention either of her parents, but had a picture of her father in her room. <em>Miyo must fill that maternal space in Amane. She wants to be like her, wants to be at least as good as if not better, but she still wants to look up to her. I see how you're looking at her Prince; you really have found a mother in her...<br>_The door to the suite opened, and Miyo turned around to see whom Hikari guessed to be Rashu. The older woman got up slowly and walked into his arms. They embraced softly, and gave a quick peck on the lips. Miyo seemed gentle with Rashu, even as most of her stern and authoritative demeanor slowly dissipated as the night grew. Rashu introduced himself to the girls, giving a friendly nod to Amane. They seemed comfortable around each other, being very to each other.  
>"So, Amane-kun, are you ready for tomorrow?"<br>"Hai, it'll be good to be racing against Miyo again. I've missed your confidence," Amane joked. The two of them gave a small laugh.  
>"Hmm, and we shall see who wins young Amane. Hehe, what's the score again?"<br>Amane blushed, "Er...three to two"  
>"Haha, if you find a genie, you might tie me tomorrow" laughed Miyo.<br>Amane smirked and looked to Hikari with care. "I found someone better." She put an arm around Hikari, who in return stared back into the big brown pools. She felt lighter than air with all the butterflies in her stomach. Chikaru giggled, and Rashu rolled his eyes.  
>"Oh come now, we were the same way in our younger age," Miyo chided him. "Hehe, well it's gettin late youngin's, you all need to rest."<br>The agreed to depart, all of them walking out together. At the parking lot, they split up to their separate vehicles, a small competitive nod upon Amane and Miyo's separation. As Hikari buckled on her helmet, she asked Amane, "It seemed like you never lost Amane. I have to say, I'm thoroughly surprised."  
>Amane gently touched Hikari's cheek and smiled. "Hikari, I can promise you, I'm not perfect. I'm no where even close. Star Bright and I are pretty good, but even I know that Miyo and Ace are untouchable. It really will be a miracle if we win... But, I guess I have one with me honestly..." Hikari blushed from Amane words. "Really Hikari, you're a happy, sweet, bubbly girl that can retain more than nail polish and designers in that brain of yours."<br>They smiled at each other, and Hikari reached out her own hand to caress Amane's face. She wasn't afraid of pushing into something, she was sure she knew how Amane felt about her.  
>"Hikari"<br>"Amane"  
>They had said each other names in unison. Stuttering to let the other go first, they paused, and at the same time again said,<p>

"Do you know how amazing you are?"


	8. What is Love? (Nevershoutnever)

**What Is Love?**

Driving back to Hikari's house, the road seemed clear of traffic, and with that the terrible accident. In comparison to the drive from Amane's house to the dinner, it was a relatively shorter drive. No lights were on at the house, with no car, which meant that Jack and Hikari's mother were still out. Amane parked on the driveway close to the porch. They walked hand in hand once more to the doorway.

"Thank you Amane," Hikari said to the older girl.

"I wish I could spend longer with you" Amane replied. They smiled together in the darkness, Amane found she was craving to touch, to kiss, to hold Hikari, but dared not to dwell in those thoughts. She had no idea why they were coming, or from where. Hikari was so little, so innocent. Amane felt like a pedophile for thinking like this, then realized with sadness, that technically, she was. She was nineteen, and would be twenty by winter. Would Hikari even be seventeen by then? How could she have such thoughts about another human being without even knowing when their birthday was, or what school they went to? But these thoughts subsided quickly when Hikari began leaning closer to Amane. Her heart thudded through her chest, up into her throat, and almost spilled out of her mouth. Everything about Hikari was intensified in that moment; the way the soft wind blew her dress against her figure, the vivid moonlight highlighting her hair, her face, her sweet skin, her gorgeous sapphire eyes.

"Wait, Amane..."

Hikari's words suddenly put a pause to Amane's thoughts. Hikari looked at Amane in a haze. Against the darkness, Amane glowed. Her hair swayed softly in the wind, hiding parts of her lovable, deep eyes. Her tall, slender frame was open and inviting; Hikari longed to embrace her and feel protected by this fascinating, boyish young woman. _The Prince and the peasant girl,_ she thought. She spoke slowly, a sad catch in her voice. "Amane... Tonight... This week... It's all been so amazing, really. But..."

"What are we?" Amane guessed, realizing Hikari's thoughts were akin to hers.

"Exactly... Amane, I don't want to be pushing myself into your life Amane. I... I mean, really, you must be so busy riding Star Bright, and training, and... I don't want your career to suffer because you're with some sixteen year old girl."

"I won't be Hikari. Besides, in the scheme of things, what does it matter? I can't do it forever after all. You though... You're not some sixteen year old girl, you're a blessing; you came out of nowhere as I was starting to feel like I had no one. You make the world glow around you, you bring me this sense of happiness that I've never known before. Hikari... Do you... Will you..." Amane found herself faltering in words. _Just ask her. Just do it. You've already been on a date with her. You've already held her hand. Just ask her to be your girlfriend._

The words tried to form but... _God, why the hell am I so nervous? She's not like anyone else I've ever met. She's only sixteen though, and we still hardly know one another... But it's so-_

"Amane... I know... I know this must be hard because I'm not even out of school yet, and I see what's happening with us," Hikari's words scared her as they came out. She thought she would faint as each one would pass through her lips. _I have to say it, it's already come this far. _"I really, really enjoy your company, Amane. You came to me in just the same way, senpai. If it's my age, I can wait. If I'm taking this all the completely wrong way, just tell me. I can go-"

"No, Hikari, please, don't talk like that. No one is more special to me. No one. Hikari, I... Will you... ?" _Please, please understand Hikari..._

"Yes, Amane-senpai?"

The older girl was still deeply entranced within her young companion's bulbous blue orbs. Amane rested her hands on Hikari's shoulders, that small movement alone nerve racking, the contact between them exploding the tension. She could only barely contain the restraint she hardly had left against pulling her against her and stealing her first kiss. She wondered if Hikari was having the same seemingly scandalous thoughts, though only very benign, harmless even in reality. The younger girl, almost as if responding to her partner's thoughts, pushed herself towards the bluenette with her small, shivering body unconsciously and involuntary. Amane's body reacted on its own- her hands slid from Hikari's shoulders to her hands. She pulled the small, soft fingers behind her, and Hikari instinctively let them grab her vest softly behind her back, lifting her chin and standing slightly on her toes. Amane's hands renewed their curiosity, one finding it's way under her arm and around Hikari's hip, the other resting against her cheek. Amane began to close the distance between them, until she could whisper on her lips.

"Hikari..." she breathed. Their eyes had closed, but knew exactly where they were to each other. Their cheeks brushed, their noses touched, and their lips stopped just shy of each other. Amane's hand slid a bit to where Hikari's jawline and neck met and softly pulled her that bare breadth of distance in between, letting her lips explore another's, Hikari's, for the first time. It overwhelmed her; it tasted like nothing else she could have imagined. It set her on a high no drug could attain. They felt so soft, so warm on hers. Everything became hyper sensitive about it. She felt Hikari's soft tremble as it happened, her hands grabbing tighter onto her shirt, her chest and hips resting against hers, her movement against them as she slowly bounced up slightly as she balanced on her toes. She could feel as her body melt into Hikari the moment they connected, then set fire as she moved her small body against hers. Amane pressed her lips deeper into Hikari's, their hips moving with a subtle, slow rhythm; waves in sync with the ocean. Hikari wasn't exempt from the sensations- her hand snaked into Amane's hair tightened its grip. She realized it was turning into more than what her first kiss should be, but the pair were powerless to stop it. In the dead of night, their bodies seemed twice as aware of their contact. Hikari's dress seemed incredibly thin; Amane felt like she was sweating under her own clothes.

Finally, the absolute need to breathe arose, not from the kiss alone, but everything else that had accompanied it, or they were going to pass out from asphyxiation. Hikari breathed heavily as she took in all that just happened to her and her world, while she rested her face inside the crook in Amane's neck. Her hand still gripped onto the bluenette's velvet hair, a soft tug each time she inhaled. The older girl left her lips near her lover's ear, breathing just as hard but she had come back quicker. She felt Hikari breathing against her neck and it made her crazy, the soft pull of her hair enticing new emotions and instincts to arise. She thought of her own lips on Hikari's neck and throat, and the curiosity built again. She bent down and placed her still tingling lips to the soft skin on Hikari's throat.

Once again, Hikari felt the waves of heat rise and crest inside of her, rippling from Amane's lips. Hikari's eyes shot open. Her hand jerked Amane's hair just a little rougher than before, and her body jolted into Amane's. She felt Amane kissing her neck, nibbling just a bit, and the wet skin felt amazing as hell. Her heart beat shot through the sky. She felt her knees weaken, so she again wrapped her slender arm tighter around Amane, secured around her chest. Amane in return held Hikari higher, closer, and tighter, to her body by her hips. She flicked her tongue across the blonde's throat, which pulled the smallest, faintest moan from Hikari.

It sounded like the loudest cry in the world to Amane.

Knowing this was what her animalistic instinct wanted, she nipped sucked on the hot skin, her tongue eternally remembering that sweet taste, coming out for another every time the chance presented itself. Hikari's fingers dug into Amane's back, not doing well to hold back the soft sounds from the back of her throat, and she battled the urge to wrap her legs around Amane too, especially as she tangled her lengthy fingers in her long, blonde hair, touching the back of her neck in the perfect compliment to the movement of her mouth and lips. She knew for a fact that it was going way too fast now, and struggled to pull away from Amane amazing lips; she never could've begin to even imagine the feeling that the older girl incited all over and within herself. What were possibly only moments felt like forever with Amane; the bliss of this new feeling was impossible to break from. She eventually did put herself back together enough to push away softly, but enough for Amane to catch, who'd already been very keenly aware of how far she was pushing her limits. The Rider retracted from her ministrations, slowly inching her lips up her neck and jaw to her ear. She placed her hands back to Hikari's shoulders, noticing how bad the girl was shivering, and not from any kind of chill.

"You taste good, Hikari," she whispered, a husky edge in her voice.

Hikari's breath caught. _Amane-senpai... Damn, what are you doing to me? This... so damn amazing... How did you get me like this? How did you get me to swear like this?... Damn Amane, you're too good..._

Amane chuckled, "I'm too good at what?"

Hikari gasped, and shook with embarrassment. I_ said that out loud?! _"Wha-? I- Uh- Amane!"Amane covered Hikari's lips with her own again, partly in amusement, partly because she wanted to kiss her again, but mostly because she wanted Hikari to feel good. Maybe not to the extent Amane WANTED to make her, but...

_Maybe someday..._

Their kiss resumed the passion from before. The felt wide awake in each other's arms, but they knew it was also getting late. Hikari was the first to pull away again, for fear she wouldn't be able to pull away if she let it go on, but placed a tender kiss on Amane's cheek so as not to give off the wrong message.

"It's getting late; my mom will be back soon." Hikari told Amane, sad that she would unfortunately have to leave.

"True..." She sighed, but nodded knowing her partner was right. She unwillingly placed some distance between their bodies; the constant contact was keeping her from thinking clearly. "Will you call me in the morning before the race?"

"Of course," Hikari's face immediately brightened again. She tried desperately to convince herself that Amane really did need to leave, and that she really couldn't go with... No matter how much she didn't want to acknowledge the consequences should she do otherwise.

Amane scratched her neck, really not wanting to leave Hikari in the middle of the night, alone with only a drunk fool and a careless mother for company. "Do you need a ride to the track? Maybe you could..."

"Actually, my friend Yaya is picking me up with her girlfriend Tsubomi... Amane, I couldn't leave tonight..."

"No, I understand, I'm sorry," Amane fumbled on her words, trying to recover. Groping to return the conversation to an easy flow, she asked, "Does your mom and Jack know your going?"

"Yeah. Yaya calls me every time a race comes up, even if she can't always make it to them, so I just tell them right after regardless. I usually take the bus those days. There's no way I'd miss it, Amane-senpai."

They smiled at each other. Amane kissed Hikari's cheek and said to her, "I can't wait to see you there."

"Me neither... I wish you could stay. Or I could go..."

"Me too... but hey, tomorrow will be here soon, ya know?"

"True," she hugged Amane tightly. "Amane..."

"Yes?"

"Promise me you'll drive safely, okay?"

Amane's face fell worried, knowing she was still plagued from the scene earlier. She put a hand under her chin and lifted it so her eyes were but just a few mere breadths from one another, enough for the deep oceans to crash into the warm expanses of earth. "I promise dear."

Hikari felt another surge of happiness course through her. "Dear?"

"Uh," Amane blushed. Was that too much? "U-um"

"I...it's cute... I like it," Hikari got on her tiptoes to take her kiss on Amane's cheek. "I'll miss you."

"As will I." Amane kissed Hikari's hand, then turned to leave. She walked down the length of the driveway and got on her bike. In the dark, she carefully pulled out, and looked at Hikari as long as she could. It would be a long ride home with the blonde girl living in her mind. She had promised her to drive safely though, so she forced herself to focus on the road.

* * *

><p>Ten, twenty, then thirty minutes passed and Amane was home. It was a little after eleven when she walked through her apartment door. She tossed her vest onto the kitchen counter, smelling Hikari as it went by. Her scent ignited the memory of them kissing on her couch and making out on her porch. She remembered how her hands itched to run along her hips, her back. She wondered what the skin felt like.<p>

"God, what's going on with me?" Amane was too tired to be surprised with herself. She was getting more and more used to this growing curiosity that she would never let herself explore with Hikari until she was older, until she was ready at least, until they completely understood what it was that was igniting like a volcano between them. She walked to and looked out the window and saw the two birds resting on the branches of the tree. She smiled again, thinking of the birds that sat at the sill of the barn, and how they sang. She just noticed how beautiful it was, and how Amane had yet still to hear Hikari sing.

"Tomorrow, after the race I'll ask her. I'll bet... I'll bet she's the most beautiful singer to walk the face of the Earth," she fantasized about it, feeling like a giddy little girl daydreaming about a crush from school.

Amane grabbed a pair of boxers and a tank top, and then headed for the shower. The hot water broiled her skin, which was still warm from the memory of Hikari. Amane remembered the heat rising up and around them, inside of them, spreading and consuming them with each of their tiniest movements. She spiked the water down so it was only mildly warm. She now remembered again the first day she saw Hikari. Well, the first day up close. She remembered the race from last Friday, where she saw the small girl sitting with a black haired girl about her age watching her and cheering as she won. The smile it brought on Amane's face was humongous; it felt like it was literally stretched ear to ear. But having saw Hikari in the gazebo on that rainy day...

"She's beautiful..."

Amane's shower didn't last long. Being in the warm water wouldn't be good for her imagination, and she wanted so desperately to at least attempt to keep her thoughts of Hikari unperverted. She was young and whole and innocent. Amane didn't want to be the one that tainted her, but she did want her. Conflicted, she pushed the conclusion that Hikari would come to her if she ever wanted something, and until then she vowed not to push any further. Three days wasn't long enough to want... Well, whatever this was. Amane refused to put the name to it, thinking it would make it just that much more difficult to ignore the feelings.

She dried off, ruffled her hair to dry it a bit, and put her boxers on. The apartment was too warm to put her tank top on, but really she knew the heated feeling still emanated from the thoughts of Hikari.

The rider walked into her bedroom groggy, ready for bed. As she was falling asleep, she asked, "Ootori, what is going on with you?"

Her dreams were filled with Hikari. Her lips, her eyes, her smile, her hair, only she existed in the night. Her beautiful blonde hair was again topped with a halo. They lay alone somewhere quiet, kissing and touching and holding one another. Amane craved to touch her like she did in her dreams, because even in her subconscious, Hikari was the dominate figure. But so were Amane's deeper desires.

* * *

><p>Hikari walked in the door after Amane had left, wishing desperately she would come back to sweep her off her feet and take them both away to her home. Still though, she was content to know she would see Amane, and they could be together daily. She thought about their new closeness.<p>

"So... It's real... I just can't believe it... I'm Amane's. My first relationship is with Amane Ootori" Hikari swelled again with happiness. We're together... _How'd I get that lucky? Amane must know there are a lot of other girls better for her than me though... Surely someone older, someone more experienced... Maybe someone she knew longer..._

Hikari thought of Chikaru, her long pretty black hair tied at the end so it sat comfortably against the back of her silky crimson red dress. _Maybe she would be closer to Amane's liking. She's definitely old enough and plenty more confident than I._

_But then again..._

Hikari thought of how Amane would keep her eyes set on Hikari whenever she wasn't in a conversation. How, knowing she would be upset, had stopped by a gas station to hold her while she cried, scared for Amane's safety. How she promised to be safe, and promised again when she left. How Hikari knew in her heart Amane would keep her word, no matter what she promised. And especially how when they kissed, she could not only her own self feel alive with waves of flames, but could feel them emanate from Amane too.

_So, all in one day, I started to believe in love, I had my first kiss, made out on my porch, and started my first relationship, with Amane Ootori no less. _Hikari felt swooned by the connection between her and the regally handsome looking woman.

But, because it was way late, she decided to hurry up and take a shower before her mom and Jack showed up. Euphoria still washed Hikari from head to toe. She bounced a little to her room to grab her pajamas. Once inside the bathroom, she caught a good look of herself in the mirror. Her blonde curls had brightened in the summer sun, and her skin had darkened a bit. Her blue eyes glowed with happiness, and...oh crap.

On her neck was a purple little circle. _Oh god..._

What if her mother saw? Amane and she was definitely not something she wanted her mom to see. It shined brightly on her skin, but strangely... It didn't bother Hikari for long.

_I guess this proves it; I really am hers. _She saw the hickey as Amane's mark on her, claiming her as hers exclusively, and just like that, she loved it. Now, how she going to hide it she wasn't sure. A collared shirt might just cover it, considering it was pretty low. She blushed furiously as she remembered the moan that had come out of her. She couldn't help it; it had felt so good... She hoped Amane hadn't noticed, but then again, it had been silent out in the dead of night. She blushed harder and harder still thinking about it. She undressed and turned the water on, stepping into the warm spray. The mild heat felt good against her skin, each drop reminded her body of Amane's touch- how those strong, hard hands could be so gentle and smooth. Hikari scrunched the shampoo into her hair, trying to remember how the rider's firm hands had snaked themselves so intricately into the blonde curls. The water raced down her hair and slicked her flesh with the fruity smelling shampoo, and her thoughts of Amane took to a new sensation. Surprised, her eyes flashed wide open, trying to figure out what in the world her brain was trying to process. Perplexed, she rinsed off the shampoo, quickly washed her body, and got out to dry.

The cool air chilled her, and she hurriedly threw on her clothes. She gathered her dress and her towel, putting them into her hamper. The chill quickly evaporated and soon she felt uncomfortably hot. She turned the fan on in her room and lay on her bed over her blanket. Feeling the need to hold on to something, she grabbed onto her pillow, and realized she wanted Amane to be the one she was holding onto. Sighing, she did her best to fall asleep pretending it was. She was almost unconscious when she heard the front door open, and she heard the disgusting smacking of Jack's hand against her mother's rear end. "Damn bitch, work that old thing!"

"Oh Jack, you sly boy," her mother replied. Her speech was slurred and she sounded like she was trying to be seductive. _Great, they're both drunk,_ she thought. _I'll be up all night now._

_Or maybe not. _She heard the sounds of drunken lust fade behind a slammed door. She hoped she wouldn't hear their loud moans and calls all night. It's like they completely forget Hikari was on the other side of the house. She wondered how anyone could want to subject themselves to degrading their self worth by getting drunk and practically beat each other in what was called passion. She hoped Amane never wanted that from her. How could that be beautiful? Those movies Yaya and her watched on their sleepovers, where two characters fall in love and have sex near the end, where it all ends happy, is complete bull. From what Hikari's lived with, it's just vulgar, raging primal instinct to dominate one another. That's not love. If that's what her brain was trying to decipher when she was in the shower, then she was disgusted with herself.

But...

Hikari found that she still couldn't let go of the pillow which she still imagined to be Amane. Hikari was again torn, and once more gnawed on her lip. She needed to be careful or it would end up splitting. She also realized the same would apply to her and Amane- she wanted to be careful with her. Kissing was fine by her, all the way, and holding her hand made her heart soar. But... Anymore than that... It would split Hikari's heart in two. She had no idea what that would do to them, at any age, at any time, if they ever did love each other like... Well, Hikari wondered again if love was real anymore. No one she knew was really IN love. Except one couple stood out in her mind- Miyo and Rashu. Suddenly, she longed for Amane and herself to be like that. Having grown old together, walking together in harmony, the presence of each other calming. She wondered if Hikari could talk to Miyo about Amane and her. She seemed to know Amane well, obviously Amane saw her like a maternal figure. She hoped Hikari made her Rider as happy as Rashu made Miyo. But then again, it might be awkward talking to Amane's competitor about such a topic in confidence. But who else did she have to turn to? Yaya had only just started dating Tsubomi, and love her friends as she may, their puppy love was still mostly entwined with teasing and picking on each other. Only now, Yaya's flirting and Tsubomi's blush was followed by kisses, and their teasing by hugs. They were adorable together, but their dynamics weren't the same. Amane was so gentle and kind to Hikari, and the blonde tried so hard to make Amane be happy to be around her.

Hikari thought of the kisses exchanged between her and Amane. She remembered the butterflies in her stomach and the rapid pace of her heart. She remembered how good it felt to simply hold her hand or see her smile. She remembered the dreams of them together, and how she held her on her porch before she would leave.

So, Hikari decided that she'd have to come to her own solutions on two things:  
>What is love, and...<br>Well...

Was she in love?


	9. One of Many Battles

**Little Angel ch.9**

**Okay! It's finally time for the race, and our couple is so anxious and excited for the outcome. I took so much time researching trucks it ain't even funny. Thank you though R&R!**

**BTW I realized that, um, yeah, I've been forgetting disclaimers, so f.y.i I don't own Strawberry Panic! Or it's characters (because if I did, it would focus a LOT more on Hikari x Amane) Also, I don't own or endorse Mugs 'N Jugs (you'll see ;) )**

The first thing that Amane did when she woke up Saturday morning was smile. She recalled every moment from last night, and she hopped out of bed feeling more energized than she ever had. "Today," she began, "I will win for Hikari."  
>`She quickly dressed into her riding clothes and went to the bathroom to brush her teeth. It was only seven in the morning, but Amane felt like she'd slept for days. She was ready to get moving, but primarily, to see her Hikari. Her Hikari. It sounded so beautiful to her. Her girlfriend was the prettiest, sweetest girl this side of the universe. She ran her fingers through her raggedy bed head hair, trying to smooth it out. Eventually it calmed into its usual frame and Amane looked at it through a mirror satisfied. She went back to her bedroom, and wondered if it was too early to call Hikari. But if she was going to see the race, which started at noon, she very well could be up. She was probably just as or impossibly more so excited than Amane. She ran through her contacts and dialed Hikari's number, waiting for her to pick up.<br>"Hello?"  
>Amane smiled again. "Hey Hikari."<br>"Amane! Good morning!"  
>"G'mornin Hikari, how'd you sleep?"<br>"Pretty well, yourself?"  
>Amane blushed, but kept her voice even. She dared not mention her dreams. "Same."<br>"Good."  
>They stayed silently for a second. Then Hikari spoke. "I know you'll do great today Amane."<br>"Thank you, Hikari. I'll be lookin for ya, you know." Amane mentally winked, knowing that Hikari would most likely blush. She thought it was adorable how easily flustered she got.  
>"I can't wait to see you Amane!"<br>"Me neither youngin'," I can't wait to pull you up into my arms and kiss you.  
>"So, you have to go get Star Bright soon, right?"<br>"Actually, I'm just paying Mr. Wok, the stable manager, a little extra to take him there for me. I hate trying to drive a truck with Star Bright in a cage behind me. Scares me to death I'll get hit." That reminded her, she was going to look at trucks today. Something big and sturdy so she could better keep her promise to be safe.  
>"Wow, that's... Pretty nice of him actually. But, when you did take Star Bright, where did you get the truck from?"<br>"U-Haul apparently moves anything."  
>They broke into a small laughter, and Amane remembered how ridiculously she must've seemed trying to maneuver the huge vehicle only thirty minutes on the road from the stable to the track, and then back. She wondered how in the world she would ever get the hang of driving anything other than her bike. <em>For Hikari,<em> _I'll learn. I won't ever get us into an accident like that, even if I've never had one. Things can change._  
>"So, when will you be there?"<br>"About a half an hour before it starts, so around eleven thirty."  
>"Will you come see me before then?"<br>"Of course I will hun."  
>"Okay...I'll see you soon!"<br>"See you soon," Amane said back. She smiled, sliding the slender phone into her pocket.  
><em>Now then, truck-hunting I shall go.<br>_***  
>"So this one's a stick, it'll take some time to work with since you've been on a bike for so long."<br>Amane sighed at the car salesman's words. She knew she'd get this verdict even before she pulled out from her apartment.  
>"Okay... Do you have any that are automatics?" It'd be easier if I'd get a car... But I couldn't start trailing Star Bright. God...<br>"We do have a few, follow me," they went to another edge of the used car lot. Amane groaned inside at the sight of some of the trucks. These probably weren't any safer than her bike.  
>"Well how about this one? It seems to be more for you," he pointed towards navy blue 2012 Dodge RAM 3500. Amane's eyes widened.<br>"Automatic?" the man nodded in reply. Still shocked, the rider asked, "How much?"  
>He grinned. "$48, 700."<br>Amane cringed mentally. These people were sharks with a nose for wallets. "Uh... In payments... How could I-"  
>"Four year plan, paying monthly, oh, about a thousand a month."<br>Amane could've shit herself. There was no way she was paying that much for a truck.  
>"Something- way- cheaper. Like, six hundred a month."<br>"Hmm, how about this- a used red '04 Chevy. Six hundred a month, automatic. Deal?"  
>Amane paused, looking at the condition of the truck. It wasn't too bad, the paint was still good and it didn't have any visible dents. "What's the mileage?"<br>"About twenty thousand miles. Guy traded it for somethin' smaller"  
>"Fine," Amane said, tired. She just wanted to get this over with. "I'll take it."<p>

Hikari just finished her shower, and was stepping out to dry off. I can't wait to see Amane. She's so amazing when she races.  
>Her phone buzzed as a message from Yaya lit up.<br>"Be there in a few. Be ready to go blondie!"  
>Hikari chuckled and shook her head. She replied, "Alrighty" and got dressed, drying her hair and combing it.<br>True to her word, Yaya arrived in her white Accord, with Tsubomi riding shotgun, smiling and waving at Hikari, who was sitting now on the front porch. Upon climbing into the vehicle, she heard from upfront, "Well blondie, we're off to see your hubby."

"Amane-senpai isn't my hubby," Hikari replied, blushing.  
>"Yeah yeah, your knight in shining armor then," Yaya giggled at her. "With that valiant steed of hers of course." Yaya winked at her from the rearview mirror. She took Tsubomi's hand and kissed it, reminding her bubble-gum hair girlfriend that she was still the mass direction of her attention.<br>"Hikari-chan, I can't believe your dating Ootori, do you have any idea how envied you must be?" Tsubomi said from her seat, turning as much as she could to see the older blonde girl, who was sitting behind her Yaya.  
>"Oh, not honestly Tsubomi-chan... I don't think that many people know really."<br>"Still though, you can bet she'll come straight to your side when she wins today," Tsubomi said, herself winking to Hikari.  
><em>When she wins... Amane will win, I just know it. Miyo-sensei may be great, but my Amane is a Prince... One way or another. <em>Hikari blushed, thinking of the way Amane moved and talked, the way she rode Star Bright, and could lift Hikari with one arm. _You're beyond anything I could've imagined... no one could conceive of someone as wholehearted and good as you._

Coming close to eleven thirty, Yaya finally found a small, secluded parking space in the track's lot, fighting viciously for it against a SUV full of college boys. She swore under her breath about stupid pea brained drunk boys, and Hikari and Tsubomi giggled. They walked out of the lot and up to the gate when Hikari's phone buzzed.

"Hey, are you here yet? I'm by the West End."

Hikari brightened, and motioned her friends to follow her to the west entrance, and replied to her rider, "I'll be there soon!"

_She's gunna love this. And if not... Eh, I've still got the motorcycle in the bed... But hey, it keeps the promise._  
>Amane stood leaned against her brand new, well, to her new, red Chevy pick up. <em>C'mon Hikari, I really want you to see the truck.<em>  
>Around the corner she saw three young girls come from the south entrance, one blonde, one pink haired, and one slightly taller than the other two with black hair. But her eyes floated to the blonde, seeing clearly from all those yards away, big shining blue eyes, and Amane's heart soared. She waved to the little girl, and instantly her pounding heart commanded her to run to her.<p>

Hikari ran as fast as her legs could let her go to Amane. They collided in a tight embrace, with their arms wrapped so taut around each other they couldn't be told apart if it wasn't from the height difference.  
>"Amane-senpai, when... How ... When did you get a truck? And why?"<br>Amane chuckled." I figured it would be safer than the bike. If you didn't like I could always go trade it back, cuz I still have the bike in the bed"  
>"No, Amane, this is... Wow, just, why?" Hikari was truly confused, but then it hit her.<br>_Last night... And you promised..._

...To be safer...

It was the first time they felt they could understand what the other was thinking. They smiled to each other, but remembered their companions who were staring at them cutely, like an old couple would watch kittens playing.  
>"Uh, so, Amane, this is Yaya and Tsubomi, my friends from Jensho."<br>"It's a pleasure to meet you both," she said to them kindly, shaking their hands. "So, Hikari's told me you two-"  
>"Dating," Tsubomi said proud.<br>"Trapped," Yaya smirked, causing Tsubomi to cast a dark look to the taller girl. The black haired kissed her cheek in apology, which made Tsubomi roll her eyes and blush.  
><em>They're cute together. Like they've been doing this forever,<em> Amane thought. _Eh, maybe they have been, they're more comfortable around each other than most couples in public.  
><em>"So, where do you have to go before the race?" Hikari asked.  
>They had started walking to the stadium. Amane replied to Hikari, "I have to go sign in for Star Bright and me, then go saddle him up. Then, well, we race." She held Hikari's hand, lifting it to her lips and kissed its back, letting them fall together between them, joined by their fingers.<br>Upon reaching the west entrance gate, Amane turned to her girlfriend. "Unfortunately, I do have to go now. I'll be looking for you in the stands."  
>They embraced again and kissed, and Hikari watched her leave with a smile on her face. She already missed the warm, strong rider that stood beside her.<br>"C'mon lover girl, let's grab our seats already!" Yaya said from behind her. She put a hand on Hikari's shoulder and comically spun her in the opposite direction.  
>Hikari smiled.<em> I'll be cheering for you Amane...<br>_***  
>Amane stood next to Star Bright, stroking his mane as they waited for the exit call. He looked sturdy and broad, almost like a war horse. He was a spirited stallion, and god help the poor soul that gets hit by his hooves.<br>Star Bright ducked his head, almost bashful, as if he knew Amane was reflecting on all the times he'd freaked out in a thunderstorm and knocked his rider straight onto her rear, on many occasions leaving a huge bruise or bump. Amane scratched his ears, happy her horse had such a personality.  
>"All riders, report to the field at this time, all riders, report to the field at this time," a toneless voice conveyed to the contestants in the holding stables.<br>"This is it boy. C'mon, I have more than a score to tie for this one."

Hikari sat restlessly in her seat, trying her best to seem normal and calm in front of her friends. Yaya's joking would be worse if she saw her grow anxious to see Amane. Of course, now that she was with Tsubomi, her teasing was getting a little more subdued.

_Maybe __Tsubomi__'s helping her compassion,_ Hikari thought, but took it back. _Yaya__'s very compassionate; it just must've been hard being super nice to everyone while the girl you liked turned you down constantly. Even when I didn't always know I was.  
><em>The blonde glanced over at Yaya, how was now making googly eyes at Tsubomi-chan, her pink hair blending into her blushing cheeks.  
><em>Okay, maybe Yaya's teasing is just a part of her,<em> Hikari mentally commented with a giggle.  
>"All riders, report to the field at this time, all riders, report to the field at this time."<br>"Hey, get off Yaya, they're about to start!" Tsubomi yelled.  
>Hikari gazed out onto the green expanse in front of them, seeing the riders pour in one by one from the West end. They passed by in a line to their starting stalls as the announcer listed of their names. True to her word, Amane looked up to Hikari, and even from the distance of her seat, they could see each other smile. They gazed upon each other as long as they could before Amane was inside the wooden stall.<p>

Hikari blushed, and Yaya giggled at her, poking her side. "You know, she's gunna win for you," she said slyly.

Hikari smiled and replied," I'll be right here to cheer her on…"

The announcer was trying to say something but Hikari couldn't hear what over the growing screams of the crowds around her. Yaya turned her attention back to the track, muttering something, and then saying a bit louder," So, when is this thing supposed to st-"

BANG!

The starting gun blasted, and the riders bolted out from their starting positions. In just seconds, Amane and Miyo were neck and neck, battled only by a rider with a number seven on his back, still seemingly yards away. Star Bright battled against Miyo's equally dashing, supersonic steed. The riders progressed blindingly quickly to the first bend of the track, most of the riders now slimming into a small file. Miyo thrust forward, closing off Amane quicker than the heartbeat of a hunted hummingbird. The bluenette was hardly but visibly shocked, however years of training and experience kicked in at that same moment, drawing all her focus into the space ahead of her, and a possible opening that would leave Miyo just as quickly forgotten in the dust of the track.

All the while, the announcer was going insane on his microphone. "Miyo treads in front of Amane; I wondered how flustered she must be? Oh look, the second turn! How will pull throu-"

"YAA!"

"GO AMANE-SENPAI!"

Amane cried out, spurring on Star Bright. Hikari, knowing it would happen even before she heard it, cheered her prince on. Upon the twist of their second turn, Miyo and her steed left just a sliver of an opening to her left. Sensing Amane narrow in, all in an instant, she pulled them to the right to avoid an otherwise inevitable collision. It was written on both of their faces, however, that Amane wouldn't keep this change of events so easily. They had both slipped up only in the slightest, and the reaction it had almost seemed world encompassing. Shouts and screams and cries rose in thunderous bellows from the stands. The third turn came in closer and closer, but neither budged an inch from their current standings. The other racers trailed behind by mere feet, but they almost didn't exist. Miyo and Amane battled on, the fourth turn coming even more impossibly quick, the two of them bypassing the stretch without blinking.

"No!" Hikari cried in unison with Tsubomi and Yaya. Miyo wrangled first from Amane by a hairsbreadth, but the display was clear enough on the huge projector screen, visible to the entire audience. Some yelled obscenities, cursing Miyo, others barking out to keep ahead.

_The Fourth Turn._

Amane spurred on Star Bright. She almost stood up and over the stallion.

_Passing into the last fifty feet._

Miyo cried out. She propelled next to Amane, shoulder to shoulder.

_Passing to thirty._

They strode on, impossibly close to each other, gravity almost about to collide them.

_Twenty_

Amane spurred on straight, trying desperately to get ahead. Miyo knew too… They knew SOMEONE would have to move…

_** Ten**_

_** FIVE**_

Any closer, they would've crashed. She pulled back, sparing their horses in loss of the lead.

_** "IT'S OVER!"**_

They played it over and over unbelievably. She so clearly pulled back. It was…

**"Amane Ootori wins!"**

It splashed all over the stands, cheers and cries erupting from everywhere. Hikari jumped from her seat, shouting out for Amane. And, just for a moment, their eyes met. Paradise rose from the chaotic celebrations around them in that moment, and the couple only existed to each other, everything else was left behind. Hikari again felt like she was held in the presence of a prince, someone tall, handsome, strong… Their swift smiles to each other promised another soon, as Amane turned her head to meet congratulations from Miyo. The older woman then further surprised everyone by taking their formal handshake into a friendly hug. Rigid and all-business Miyo, hugging Amane, almost… motherly. Hikari cooed alongside her friends, who kissed happily in all the hullabaloo.

Cheers and screams poured and piled together as people slowly migrated towards the exits. Yaya led the trio as best as she could, while Hikari and Tsubomi chuckled behind her, talking excitedly about the all-too-fast race. Yaya swore a few times when the boys in front of them wouldn't get their _ drunk _ _ outta the _ way. Hikari giggled again, and Tsubomi hung her head with cheeks wildly flustered.

"So ladylike…" she muttered, earning another laugh from Hikari.

They found their way to the Main West Entrance, where Tsubomi announced that she needed a bathroom, quickly.

"What's the big rush Tsubomi?"

"Well, I haven't been since we left your house this morning and I downed that whole thing of water in the car. Just help me find," the pinkette replied to her taller girlfriend, who rolled her eyes, earning her a punch in the arm.

"It's on the back wall to the right of the water fountains," Hikari piped up. She'd been here enough to know it like the back of her hand. Tsubomi thanked her quickly and scampered off. The pair walked slowly over as well, in their own thoughts. Yaya leaned up against the wall, doing her best to look nonchalant, or as she put it lately, "chill."

She spoke up suddenly, "There she is."

Hikari turned to the bathroom entrance, thinking it was Tsubomi. When no one came out, she looked back to Yaya, who smiled and pointed her in the opposite direction.

"Amane!"

Hikari ran to her prince, who smiled, picking her up when she came close enough and kissed her forehead, holding her up by her waist. Hikari's arms sunk snugly around Amane's neck. They both looked into each other, smiling brightly, and Amane stole a quick kiss from the blonde's small, soft lips. They blushed at their open PDA, and Amane let Hikari gracefully come back down to the ground. Hikari never took her eyes off her wonderful lover. "Congratulations Amane… That was fantastic."

"Thank you… That means a lot to me," Amane blushed, but took Hikari's hand, held it to her lips, and left a lingering kiss upon it. Tsubomi was heard leaving the bathroom, followed by an unstiffled "Awwwww"

The pair blushed, as did Tsubomi, who looked away in embarrassment. Yaya chuckled at the three of them, taking her pink-haired girlfriend into her arms, and kissing her cheek. "So, Tsubomi-chan and I are gunna head out to lunch at this American place. They serve hot wings and fries. You guys are gunna join us?"

Even though it wasn't really much of a question, they answered, saying that yes, they would like to come. Then it hit Hikari. There was only one wing place Yaya liked to go, and Hikari hated it, not for the food, but…

"Yaya-chan, where are we going?" Hikari asked nervously.

Her devilish raven haired friend grinned wide at her. "Mugs 'N Jugs."

Crap.

She was gunna make her do _karaoke_.

_In Front of Amane._


	10. Claim Her Heart

**Little Angel ch. 10**

**HI! So sorry it had taken forever to update, but I'm back now with the latest chapter XD**

**So anyways, if any one forgot, or just doesn't click on the last chapter, Amane won her race against Miyo and now Yaya had offered to go out to- dun dun dun!- Wing House to celebrate! We'll see what lies in store for poor Hikari as she know the inevitably dreaded karaoke is to come**

**Yeah yeah, I don't own Strawberry Panic, but I damn sure wish I did 3**

Hikari had a special distaste for the restaurant. And Yaya knew very well there were dozens of other places she could've dragged her best friend to and forced to sing something to Amane. But further still, many would be either packed or closed for later into the night.  
>"Ya gunna head with Amane?" She had asked.<br>"Well I-" the blonde stammered.  
>"Course! You two follow us out, okay?" She smiled and turned with Tsubomi in hand to her little white car. Hikari nervously turned to her blue haired rider. "Um... Is it alright if I..."<br>Amane smiled, and took Hikari's small hands in her own. "I got a leather seat with your name on it."  
>The happiness in the younger girls smile could warm a Russian winter. Amane blushed, secretly and seriously thinking about getting a plate or pallet or something to put into the seat that said Hikari. She opened her door for her and walked around to her own driver's side. The white car she had seen Yaya and the pink haired girl walk into- Tsubomi-chan, right? - pulled out from their parking space. Looking back, the tall black haired girl motioned for the bluenette to follow. Amane's hand easily found Hikari's, not even realizing she was looking for it. As they ventured out behind Yaya into the main road, traffic proved itself a mischievous endeavor to say the least. Hikari laughed mentally thinking of how bad Yaya's mouth would be getting, and how much Tsubomi's eyes are rolling, telling her to calm down. She was still nervous though about going to Wing House. Not only did she really not care for the American food or their lack of taste for fully clothed women, but she mostly dreaded however Yaya would yet again set her up on a stage singing some song for the sake of embarrassing her friend. She wished that just once Yaya would come up with her, knowing her voice was just a good, with far more energy the Hikari's. Where the black haired girl's voice was powerful, the blonde's was gentle, like a small ripple in a pond, which came to turn and tame Yaya's tsunami. They sang rather well together, but the feisty girl was just macho to be caught dead singing karaoke in public.<p>

Hikari understood Yaya could get just as nervous as her, but it still brought a smile to her face in her discontent that Yaya could be a bit soft in this way. Not completely such a...what was it Tsubomi called her? Hard ass? Hikari giggled, causing Amane to look over with a question already on her lips.  
>"Yaya," Hikari said simply. She started to turn shyly to look at Amane.<br>As Hikari stole the glance at Amane, she noticed a small scratch on her face. Curious, she tried to open her mouth to ask, but shied away and looked out the window, watching the droplets fall onto the door and slide around as the truck's velocity sent them every which way but up. Amane noticed this however and looked over for a moment. She thought Hikari looked so peaceful and adorable with her pink cheeks in the rain. It brought back memories of when they first met. The sting on her face from the race rose suddenly. She had seen the piece of wood only out of the far corner of her eye, but refused to take any attention off Miyo.  
>"What's wrong?"<br>"Um...how's your cheek?"  
>Amane nodded once to herself. <em>So that's what it was.<em> "It stings but it's not bad."  
>Hikari looked at it as Amane's attention remained very firmly on the road. She was surprised she hadn't noticed it at the stadium. But then again, whatever had hit probably hadn't had enough impact to make the wound immediately flare. The blonde girl leaned over and placed a soft kiss on Amane's cheek. The older girl blushed and scratched the back of her neck.<br>Yaya made a sharp turn left into a rather full parking lot lying beneath a Wing House sign. Hikari groaned to herself when Amane inevitably followed. She could see Yaya devilish smile discreetly hidden by her black hair behind her tinted windows. They exited their vehicles, walking hand in hand with their respectful partners, quietly walking to the entrance, where the crowd inside was anything but calm.  
>Cries for Amane rung up as people saw the group walk in. The taller, older bluenette ducked her head and let a small wave go with an equally small sigh. Here too?<br>A hostess met them at the front and asked Amane how many, who quickly replied four. The hostess gave her a dazzling smile, doing an exceptionally well job of ignoring the smaller three. Honestly, it couldn't have been hard for anyone, considering Amane did shine like the brightest star in the sky, but still... It made Hikari nervous to see, but she hoped her girlfriend hadn't noticed her unease. Still holding hands, they walked to a table in the back and soon ordered their food. As a waitress came back with their drinks, Hikari noticed the gears in Yaya's head as her black haired friend's plan began to work itself out. The blonde begged silently it would fall apart, but she knew better.  
>And immediately she knew it would only get worse.<br>The restaurant could hear microphone's being set up and screens being placed with generic, uncaptivating logos and blue backgrounds. On the overhead a man's voice could be heard," Aaaallllllrighty people, you know what we're gettin' ready for!"  
>Cheers bellowed from the restaurant, some of the more rowdy and intoxicated patrons waving their partially devoured wings in the air. The group stifled a laugh- except for Hikari. Who tried hard not to groan, exasperated as Yaya's face twisted into pure mischief. When the taller girl opened her mouth, Hikari knew it was over<br>"Hey Hikari, you're gunna go up their right?"  
>"Well um..."<br>"C'mon, you've got a voice to die for. I'm sure Amane would love to her it," she said slyly.  
>Amane looked to her Hikari, captivated by the thought. "Do you sing?"<br>Yaya replied for her before she could deny it. "You kidding? This girl could bring the dead back with her voice! She brings stadiums to a dead silence"  
>Hikari's face instantly went from a drained corpse to looking like a tomato committed suicide on her face. Every word Yaya said in talking her up was one more word of assurance to Amane that Hikari couldn't deny her, even if the bluenette didn't know it.<br>"Um...it's not that good..."  
>Her voice was hardly heard though as the first group went up to sing a horrible rendition of Queen's We Are the Champions.<br>Amane looked at Hikari and said to her, "Hey, I know there's no way anyone could be worse than that." She chuckled, thinking that Hikari's nerves would be calmed with a little food, which came around not longer after a pair of girls sang some other American song that didn't recognize. Something about a super bass? For a time, Yaya left her friend at ease and teased Tsubomi, playing around with their food. The other two chuckled, and Hikari noticed a bit sauce to the side of her lip. She kissed it off of her, blushing at her open affection. The two of them, now off in their own little world, sat there practically giggling like school girls, feeding each other and occasionally giving each other small, quick kisses, not noticing a thing going on in the restaurant.  
>Not noticing what would ruin probably their entire afternoon.<br>"Hey, next up for karaoke night is a girl willing to sing her heart out for a special customer we have tonight- Amane Ootori!"  
>"What?" They snapped their heads up collectively and then looked back at each other- then to Yaya.<br>"I swear to God, it wasn't me!"  
>"It's true actually," Tsubomi added. "She's been with me the entire time."<br>"Then who?..."  
>A girl got up, giggling senselessly, looking at her friends, then searching the room for Amane. The rider blushed and hid her face. "Hikari, I'm so sorry..." <em>Just some random girl... Really? Is it always going to be like this... Hikari must hate me...<em>  
>The blonde blushes, but doesn't look at Amane with hateful eyes. Instead she whispered out," Does this happen a lot?"<br>She couldn't speak. She wanted to tell her no, but that was an obvious lie. She wanted to apologize, but she didn't know how. All she could do was hang her head sadly. As the girl sang some slow song unrecognizable to the group, they couldn't find it in themselves to look at one another. Tsubomi, being the most outside of the situation, realized as she looked up to the makeshift stage that a whole line of girls, and a few guys, had started, and she feared that it was all for the same reason.  
>Unfortunately, this all proved too true. Someone sang acapella and the people around had the good grace not to boo him offstage. Finally, Yaya had enough. She was about to go rage hell to the restaurant when Hikari stood up first and over to where the hostesses were standing. The group stared at her worriedly, and then it clicked to the raven haired girl. She knew what was going on inside her blonde best friend's head.<br>The pair left the front of the restaurant and went back to the stage. The line had pretty much died down a lot, but had no real promise of stopping. The man finished- thank heaven- and before anyone could get the chance, the sub hostess let Hikari up, giving her a small smile and a thumbs up to go. Amane and Tsubomi looked at each other, trying to figure out what might be going on. Yaya knew though... Slow, soft piano filled the room, quickly followed by an indescribable melody, like mists and chimes and then...

_When you walk away  
>You don't hear me say,<br>"Please, oh baby, don't go."  
><em>  
>Hikari's voice simultaneously raised hearts and broke them. Every one knew who she was singing to, and they all knew instantly she was the only one getting through.<p>

_Simple and clean is the way that you're making me feel tonight  
>It's hard to let it go...<br>_  
><em>"Oh my god..."<em> Amane's mind felt numb, more likely completely unaware of what was around her except for Hikari.

_You're giving me too many things Lately, you're all I need.  
>You smiled at me and said,<br>"Don't get me wrong, I love you,  
>But does that mean I have to meet your father?"<br>_  
>Hikari looked up a little and immediately her eyes were attached to Amane's, whose dark orbs seemed to swell with affection and adornment and amazement. Yaya saw this and thought to herself, <em>"Please... Please don't stop... It's so good"<br>_  
><em>When we are older you'll understand<br>What I meant when I said,  
>"No, I don't think life is quite that simple"<br>_  
>The whole of the restaurant became a captivated cluster of men and women gazing helplessly to the small blonde girl and her voice.<p>

_When you walk away  
>You don't hear me say,<br>"Please, oh baby, don't go."  
>Simple and clean is the way that you're making me feel tonight<br>It's hard to let it go_

Yaya knew how entranced Amane was immediately. How everyone had become entranced. She'd felt this a million times.

_The daily things that keep us all busy  
>Are confusing me<br>That's when you came to me and said,  
><em>  
>Amane was barely on the edge of her seat, listening to Hikari. So amazing...<p>

_"Wish I could prove I love you,  
>But does that mean I have to walk on water?"<br>When we are older you'll understand  
>It's enough when I say so<br>And maybe some things are that simple_

Tears formed in the eyes of near everyone there. Hikari sang like a sweet toxin, beautiful, irresistible to the crowd before her. The rare, often restless child sitting amongst them, watching the young women no more than a few years older than them at most, astonished in their own way that she could sing so elegantly.  
><em><br>Hold me  
>Whatever lies beyond this morning<br>Is a little later on_

Yaya hid tears at the edges of her eyes by flipping the random strands of hair in her face out of the way, simultaneously attempting to move her way out of Hikari's spell before anyone could notice, especially Tsubomi.  
><em><br>Regardless of warnings the future doesn't scare me at all  
>Nothing's like before...<em>

They song ended with an upscale arpeggio on piano, Hikari's singing flowing into it. People lost their own voices cheering for her- if anyone was going to get Prince Ootori's attention tonight, the crowd knew it was to be her. Hikari blushed a soft pink, did a small curtsey and walked off stage to her table. In the front the intruder from earlier asked the hostess for a seat at the bar, trying to understand what beauty they just witnessed.  
>Upon returning, Amane greeted Hikari with the warmest, deepest kiss she knew how to give. Their smiles ran leagues wide, the display showing the crowded building that no one else had ever stood a chance tonight, song or no. To them, she had simply gone up to tell them Amane was hers. And it was very well likely to stay that way.<br>"Hikari, that was beautiful!" Amane said, still astonished. "How long ha-"  
>"At least since middle school Amane-kun. She sang in the choir with me and Tsubomi," Yaya relayed. <em>Don't worry, you're not the only one to have fallen for her like this...<em>

Hikari blushed magnificently now, and Amane couldn't help but smile wider. She was so pretty, it was unbelievable. When she was singing, Amane knew that this girl had wings and a halo, somewhere, maybe just hidden from mortal, unworthy eyes. The great rider felt unworthy to be holding her, claiming the small wonder for her own. They talked fervently then, the three of younger ones with Amane listening intently, about their middle school years and being in the choir. The rider was amazed at how much they had done, and how much they grew with just a voice. She thought about her and Star Bright's mutual dependence; how they always had and needed each other, had always been the only ones they needed, but knew they couldn't move on without the other. Amane knew it couldn't always be like that, Star Bright was aging everyday she was. But these girls... Her wonderful Hikari, she would always have that beautiful voice, that wonderful draw that Amane knew she would never forget. Her heart swelled at the thought. _Hikari... Don't ever stop... I want your voice to be heard forever my angel._

It was quite some time before the four of them paid and left. Amane had reached for the bill, but Yaya, with all her masculinity apparently being threatened by the lack of a dip in her wallet, got to it first.  
>"I asked yall to come, I'm not gunna make you pay," was her excuse.<br>They parted in the parking way, Hikari hugging her dear friends and Amane shaking their hands politely. Although Yaya unnerved her a bit, she seemed to have good intentions. And she loved Tsubomi's lecturing whenever she got too out of line. The pairs walked away, again hand in hand with their respective dates.  
>"So, I guess I'm taking you home now?" Amane asked as she climbed into the cab of the truck. It was now a bit late, and they hadn't realized all the hours that had passed at the restaurant.<br>"I'd hate to leave, but if I'm gone much longer, my parents' will wonder where I am," Hikari sighed. "I didn't want this night to end."  
>Outside in the parking lot, a small car whipped out, the only break in the silent night. Hikari leaned her head onto Amane's shoulder, oblivious still. All that mattered right now were the lingering few minutes she had with Amane. Her Rider slowly revved the truck to life, and Hikari felt the lull of the engine, Amane's presence, and the heat of the cab pull her into a soft, but unwanted sleep.<p>

Amane knew her girlfriend lay fast asleep snuggled into her arm, but she looked so adorable she couldn't bring herself to wake her up. The girl's voice was still playing in her head. The song repeated over and over in the blonde's beautiful voice like a mantra. When she cut off the engine and rested in her seat on her driveway, she felt Hikari stir. She nuzzled against the bluenette, and looked up at her eyes with a smile. Amane couldn't help but lean in and kiss her softly.  
>"Good evening deary."<br>"Hi there Ms. Ootori," Hikari giggled.  
>"No need for formalities Hikari," the older girl replied, kissing her again. "You and I are equal."<br>They sat there, silent and smiling, for a time where nothing existed outside the cab of that truck. The air seemed to warm, and Amane pulled her soft, delicate angel in for a long and slow kiss. Several moments quickly turned into minutes, the couple exploring past their partners' sweet lips, letting hands fall on shoulders, then hips, and an accidental slide on a thigh.  
>"Amane..," Hikari started as she jumped a little, her hands undecided as to stay on her riders hips or retract back to her own body.<br>"S-sorry, Hikari, I wasn't- I swear, I wasn't-" Amane became flustered, not knowing what to say. "I'm sorry... I'm not a pervert, I promise Hikari, I swear..."  
>The rider was at a loss. She swore one long string of obscenities in her mind. <em>If I scare off Hikari... Oh god, kill me...<em>  
>"No, Amane, I don't, I'd never think that. It just surprised me." Hikari blushed, as easily foreseen, thinking of the nights past, and how passionate and fiery their kisses where. <em>And I choose now to be awkward?<em>  
>The silence wasn't companioned with smiles, just awkward eyes, looking away.<br>"I'm sorry-" they both started.  
>"I didn't-"<br>"I know..."  
>"So-"<br>"Please Amane," Hikari interrupted. "Please, just... Kiss me again..."  
>Hikari thought she was going to die as she said it, mulling over already the rejection Amane would give her, when their lips crashed together once more, quickly making a heat in the car quite like their episode the night before on the porch.<br>_How much farther will this go? We're in the cab of my truck making out like we'll die if we don't, and she's technically supposed to be inside the house...  
><em>And then it was that Amane's thoughts stopped, her heart as well, when she realized the car wasn't there, that rusty old jalopy of Hikari's mother's boyfriend's.  
>"Hikari. He's not here."<br>"H-huh? Who Amane-senpai?"  
>"Jack. His car's gone."<br>"You just noticed? He's probably out drinking somewhere." She frowned, not noticing her grip on Amane shirt tighten a little, shifting it downwards just slightly. "I don't really care honestly..."  
>"What if he comes home and I'm still here?<br>"Oh sh... Darn, that's a good point..."  
>"I'll walk you u-"<br>"No," the small blonde. "I'll be fine, promise, I'll let you know when I'm in my room, okay?"  
>"Alright," the rider replied with a sigh. Hikari hopped out and headed inside, and Amane slowly and quietly as possible started her truck and backed up into the ivory black street behind her. She watched as Hikari disappeared from behind the closing door, and drove off into the night.<br>Amane fell into deep thought as she turned onto the major road.

"Good god Ootori..." Amane said out loud to herself. "What've you gotten yourself into?"  
>She hoped that Hikari's mother had left with Jack as well, or was at least in a deep enough sleep so where Hikari wouldn't wake her. She wanted so bad to turn around and check on her, but…<p>

_She said she'd text me… She'll be fine… But…. I wonder if Jack went out looking for her?_ Amane was riddled with conflict. _Calm down, it'll be fine, either she'll text me or fall asleep and we'll talk in the morning. No big deal._

But the rider could not help but shake the overbearingly terrible feeling that something… very… horrible was going to happen.

And she had no clue what she would do.


	11. Father Figure

**Little Angel ch. 11 **

**So, remember that bad feeling Amane had?**

**A/N I don't own Strawberry Panic, or its characters, sadly…**

Hikari snuck through the dark house and into her room as nimbly as possible. She stubbed her toes a few times but managed to make it too her room mostly unscathed.

Too tired to take a shower, and in case her mother was home after all, she simply plopped down on her bed and plugged in her phone to charge for the night. She flipped it open to open a new text screen when she heard Jack's car pull into the driveway. Normally she'd be awakened by the obnoxiously loud noise, but tonight it made no difference; she was still tired as hell. She began typing her message to Amane as the front door flung open and smacked the wall, the disgusting man muttering darkly and loudly and something. Hikari's heart stopped- did he say her name?

It sounded like he was getting closer to her door, so she almost got her phone shut and pretended to sleep. This again, unfortunately, made no difference. Jack didn't knock. He didn't obnoxious bang on the door either, screaming while he was at it. He didn't open it.

As calm as a drunken asshole can be, he simply kicked it off its hinges.

"Don't fuck with me, I know you ain't sleeping bitch," he said coldly. He flicked on her lights and advanced slowly, predatorily, to her bed.

"Jack, what did I-"

He leapt onto the bed, landing his knee in her chest, "Are you some kinda faggot Hikari? Huh? What the FUCK you doing out so late, huh? With a fuckin celebrity now, huh? What, are you too good for me? Bitch, do you know what I do to shits like you back home?"

Hikari was lost in fear- _holy hell, how did he know?_ The pain of his weight on her was crushing her ribs and Hikari couldn't breathe. If she could, she'd start crying. "I'd turn you right, you freak. I always knew you were weird," Jack spat viciously in her face. He was merciless in his voice, and Hikari was scared to have those hands on her again.

Jack was ruthless right now, and if he kept going, Hikari wouldn't be able to tell how long she'd be in a hospital. "H...how did..."

"I saw you, stupid blonde. Singing for that man girl thing. You're disgusting. Your mother is gonna be ashamed of you... God, I wish she'd gotten rid of you, you're just a worthless pain in my ass, and now I have deal with your queer shit too? You're just fulla trouble you ain't worth!" Then he smacked her. Hard. And again. And again, and again, and again, and the tears burst from Hikari onto her swelling, hurting cheeks.

"Oh, so now you're gonna cry? Tough shit, bet your GIRLFRIEND wouldn't like it." He socked her one last time in the jaw and sneered. "Yea, let's see you kiss some bitch now, you little shit!"

_Amane... Oh God, please Amane, come back!_

Hikari was desperately pleading in her thoughts however scrambled they were by her tormentor. Her tears burned her cheeks and jaw, but she couldn't stop them. Jack grew wilder. He grabbed her shoulders and pulled her up to him, shaking her back and forth while he yelled at her more. "What's wrong with you?! So stuck up no boy wants you? Did your mom drop you on your head when you were a baby, or were you just born retarded?"

"J...j...ow..."

"SHUT UP! It SHOULD hurt. Why do you want it, huh? Why do you wanna be a freak? You knew this was comin you slut!" He bashed his knee again into her chest. "No better than a fuckin hooker. Is that it, are you hooking now, and your Ootori's beck and call bitch?"

"No… No… I…" Hikari's vision was blackening around the edges. The lack of oxygen to her brain was taking it's toll on the small girl. "I...l...l...he..lo...her..."

Jack didn't process at first what she might be saying, but when he caught on... "God! You can't want another bitch like that, stupid! God you're fucked up!" Hikari started crying harder, which put an even heavier strain on body. Why is this happening to me?

"That's just... God you're so... Just... Ugh! I don't wanna even touch you!" He spat again. Then, he sighed, and spoke coldly once more, with a frightening violence lying beneath his voice, like a viper let lose in a yard of field mice. "I'm just... Going to have to fix you. Show you what you need instead of this carpet munching shit"

Hikari grew cold and hot at the same time. _What in the bloody hell is talking about? What is he doing?_ And then she screamed.

Jack was undoing the buckle of his belt when he punched her face again.

"Shut it! Damnit you fuckin queer, keep quiet!" Hikari's pleading was muffled my his strong hand over her mouth, and she started to cry, begging that whatever he was going to do would be stopped by the alcohol in his system passing him out. _Please no... Please, my god no... Why? Why tonight? Amane! _She was crying out for her Rider, sobbing and shaking and scared for what was to come. Jack just kept yelling at her, trying pathetically to work his pants off with one hand.

"Hikari, if you don't shut your blonde yap, I'm gunna get nasty." Hikari's eyes hardened.

_Was this him being NICE?_ She writhed ferociously under him, despite his knee still digging painfully into her chest. She wanted to run to the kitchen and beat him with something big and heavy. It didn't even faze her that, in all her agony and vain attempts to remove herself from under him, that his pants were now at his knees, and was working his disgusting hands on her shirt. _Shit! Don't let him see the-_

"What the fuck is this?! You let her suck on you like a piece of meat?" He said, sick disgust in his voice. Hikari couldn't've bothered to point out the obvious inaccuracy of his statement, because he was so drunk he probably thought... _Well hell... He's so drunk he's doing... God what is he doing?_

Jack ripped the collared shirt off her chest, and she heard the buttons fly and fall to the ground. She screamed as loud as she could from under his hand, begging desperately that he stop, begging for him to let her go, begging for Amane to come save her, begging that something would kill her before whatever was going to happen did.

"Damnit, I told you stay QUIET!" He pushed the hand on her mouth down harder, and squeezed it on her already sore face. Hikari's tears still ran hot down her face. She was shaking and convulsing from pain and shock and fear, and she pleaded more and more for it to stop. She felt his weight on top of her crush onto her still open phone beneath her, and it was painfully sinking it hard edges onto her back. Jack tore her bra off in the same manner, and her scream this time came through.

"Stop! Jack, stop it please, just stop! Please!" Her voice was breaking and catching as her body heaved with sobs and shallow breathing. Jack glared at her wildly and readjusted his hand so it dug into her mouth.

"I. Told you. To shut. The fuck. Up. Now KEEP QUIET! It's for your own good whore, be thankful you little bitch." He shook her violently, and Hikari knew in her half nude and his half drunk state he was staring at her chest. He shook her again and again, and she noticed a sick rhythm to it. She prayed this would be the worst he does, but unfortunately, she had a pretty safe bet it wasn't.

"Of all I've done for you and your mother, you make me come to this? You turn into some disgusting lesbian, to what, spite me? Your mother? You don't give a damn about anyone but yourself, do you? You disgust me." His voice was again cold and vicious. Hikari hated him with everything she had. She had never wished death upon anyone before, but she prayed that Jack would come to a slow, painful, agonizing demise. Hikari hated his patronizing and obnoxious voice, he hated his disgusting personality, and above all she hated him for being drunk. He was a waste of a human being and she knew that enormous monster of an asshole was going to hurt Hikari in ways she didn't understand, and now she was beginning to be truly terrified because his filthy hand had grabbed onto her jeans.

She writhed again, but his crushing weight was too much for her to move. Her breathing was all the more shallow, and her sobs were making it worse. Hikari tried so hard not to give up, to keep fighting him but it had been useless from the start. She knew she was hopeless. Jack had either figured out she was too weak to fight, or stopped caring, because he moved his hand from her mouth and tugged down her jeans, tearing them down past her ankles.

In the split second he wasn't pressed down onto her, Hikari bolted. She was off her bed and halfway to the door and she. Jack tackled her from behind and started beating her back.

"Where the fuck you think you're goin huh?" Hikari felt something break upon impacting the hard wooden floor, but everything hurt so bad she couldn't tell what.

"Fuck this. You're gettin' twice as bad now." Just as Hikari's heart stopped completely, strong hands tore at the sides of her underwear. She screamed again and tried to crawl away, but Jack's legs had pinned her own.

"Jack, please no! Please don't!" Hikari begged, her sobbing still relentless. "Stop... Please st-stop..."

"No." Immediately, Hikari felt something hard press against her somewhere unmentionable.

Her eyes widen and she screamed louder, "JACK NO! PLEASE NO, PLEASE! STOP!" She half heard him spit and rub his hands together and she tried in vain to crawl again, begging for him to let her go. She was scared for her life and-

"AGGGHHH! JACK NO!" Hikari screamed in pain as something, she could only sadly guess what, pushed inside her ass. "JACK PLEASE STOP IT! IT HURTS! IT HURTS!"

"It's for your own good whore!" Jack thrusted again, and Hikari's broken screaming followed once more. She could hear Jack's disgusting moans as he attacked her body. She wanted to vomit from the pain and sickness of the situation, but her sobs were too heavy. He sped up and Hikari's body shook in pain. She thought she felt blood spill from her and she almost fainted when he hit again even harder.

"You disgusting pig! I hate you! I hate you I hate you I hate you!" She tried to scream again but her throat was hoarse.

"I don't care Bitch, you need this," Jack pushed again, lost to his own sickness. Hikari couldn't have been more disgusted. _How can none of the neighbors hear? How can they not care? Why?_ She could hear her phone vibrating on her bed, and she cursed herself.

"Oh? Your GIRLFRIEND tryna call you?" Jack's voice twisted between disgust and sick pleasure. "Sick little bitch, I hope she comes here. I'll fuck her nasty ass too, set that bitch straight! Set a good example while I'm at it!"

Hikari cried again, but her body was failing her. She knew that every time her phone buzzed, Jack would thrust harder, just to spite her. His threat scared Hikari shitless, and there was nothing she could do about it. Amane... She sobbed for her rider, to rescue her and to stay away. She wondered if she'd ever see her again, if she'd ever tell her, if she'd just know. This would disgust her surely, but how she'd react, the poor girl had no idea. Hikari cried as Jack kept agonizing her about what he was going to do to her and Amane, and her fears grew worse and worse. When the phone stopped buzzing, Jack laughed viciously, smacking Hikari's ass liked she'd seen him do to her mother, the disgusting animal.

"Well waddaya know? She gave up! She gave up on your pathetic ass. She doesn't want you, she doesn't care," He was thrusting so hard, Hikari's body was pushed and thrown around and it hurt like fucking hell. "You're pathetic, and everyone knows it. You should've been a boy if you wanted to mess around with girls you freak. You don't eve-"

He stopped.

He slid slowly away from her.

He stared with cold fear at ferocious anger.

He stuttered something.

And then he hit the floor.

Amane pounced on him from the broken doorway and punched his face as they fell to the ground. She was relentless as she beat him senseless.

"What did you say to her? What did you say to her? You sick sadistic bastard, who the FUCK do you think you are? You disgusting piece of shit, you are a waste of a human being! You aren't half the shit that comes outta my horse's ass!" Amane crushed his nose with a single blow and he whimpered like a dog.

"You... I'll give you hell for what you did to her!" Amane cracked his jaw with one hit, and blacked out his eyes with the next two. The rider was so furious, nothing could hold her back from doing terrible damage to the pathetic thing beneath her. Her sleek form exuded a strength she didn't know she possessed, but she continued, with no promise of stopping. His face looked almost unrecognizable, but Amane did see a face that sparked her memory- the man that used to live in her complex. Her fist connected his face one more time.

"You're still the same little shit that you were years ago," Amane snarled. She punched his face again twice, and then hit his collar bone. "Still the same disgusting alcoholic, still the same fucking pervert. You sick asshole!" She punched him hard in the chest and stood up, slamming her foot against where she hit him. Amane looked over at Hikari, who had curled up in a ball and rolled onto her side, her poor and fragile body bruised and looking broken from her torment. Big blue eyes were bright red from heavy sobs, and they tore at Amane's heart like razor blades. With anger so dreadful and frightening it could stop armies cold in their tracks, she turned back to face Jack, pivoting her foot on him and pushing harder. She bent over and yanked his head up by his hair and saw him bleeding and sobbing, whimpering still like a bitch. She slapped him and moved so he could see Hikari.

"Look what you did to her, look! You fucking animal! You hurt my fucking girlfriend, you beat and violated an angel, and don't give half a damn!" Amane now had him sitting up straight and slammed her foot on his dick. He screamed out and cried a terrible, twisted, agonizing sound, and his voice hitched up three or four octaves.

"You bitch..."

"WHAT? You look at what you did and call ME a BITCH?" Amane picked him up and slung him against a wall, shaking the entire house. Amane wailed her fists to his ears and tears slid from his eyes. "Listen here jackass; if you don't want me to Kill you tonight, you better keep your ass shut! Don't think for a SECOND I'm letting Hikari stay anywhere close to you tonight or ever fucking again! When you pass out, the first thing you're gunna see is a jail cell bastard. Maybe you'll finally clean the fuck up."

Amane knew it wouldn't happen, but she'd be damned if she let some shit like this happen to her Hikari again. He slid to the floor and she stomped again on his dick, and she hoped her weight would've exploded it by now. But sadly, no such luck. She kicked him in the mouth and his head snapped back to the wall, hard, and was still. She moved quickly to Hikari and tried to pick her up gingerly.

"Amane, no, it hurts!" She cried, then her eyes widened. "No, Amane, I'm sorry, please don-"

"No, Hikari, I'm sorry, it's okay, I just... Can you walk?" She highly doubted it. Sadly, she was right in thinking so.

"A...Amane... I-i ccan't... It hurts so b-bad," Hikari whimpered. Her fragile body shook with sobs, and she moaned again in pain. They both knew she couldn't stay long, especially if Jack came to.

"Damnit... Hikari... God, baby, what can I do?" She asked, more to herself than her broken girlfriend. "What if... What if you just did it really fast? And move slow?"

Hikari looked up with more tears in her eyes. She prayed not to be stuck here, the hurt in those big blue oceans drowning Amane with sorrow.

_I should just kill him. Kill him right here and rid the world of such a pathetic existence. How dare he... Why? What the hell could have caused this?_ Amane focused again and quickly scooped up Hikari, wincing and apologizing profusely as she whimpered in pain. "Baby, I'm so sorry, please forgive me, I wish it didn't hurt baby, I'm so sorry. I'm gonna take you home, okay? Hikari, I'm so sorry..."

"Amane..." The Prince felt tears prick her eyes, something that had not happened in quite a few years time. _Not the time_, she chastised herself, _Hikari needs me to be strong damnit. _She closed her eyes and turned her head for a moment. Recollected, she moved slowly out of the disastrous room, careful to not let Hikari sway too much and not bump any walls in the slightest. This was a challenge in the small hallways of the house, the dark rooms and blackened kitchen at the end making moving near frightening with the thought of tripping over something and dropping poor, bruised and broken Hikari. Amane made her agonizing path through the house however, leaving Hikari safely further untouched in her protective arms. The front door she had left open in her haste to get in the house, and she left the hellhole behind her, not wanting to look back. Amane had some difficulty opening her passenger door however. She only didn't start swearing because she knew she had to be grateful she had a truck- if she was going to try getting Hikari out of here on the bike, she might end killing her on the first turn. Finally, she managed to get it opened, and gently lay Hikari inside. She moved swiftly the bed of her truck and grabbed the towels from atop and around her bike, and returned to Hikari to cover her bashed and naked body with them. She entered the cab and adjusted Hikari-wincing again at her pain- so her head could rest easily on her lap. The small blonde girl grabbed onto her jeans and nuzzled her head onto her rider, desperate to forget the terror she had just been in. "Your gunna be safe Hikari, just try to fall asleep, I'll wake you up when we get there." Hikari nodded, only slightly, but Amane felt it and started the truck.

The ride to her apartment was pretty easy, but she was worried about police. Honestly, she didn't know how to explain the situation if they saw, and Amane didn't want her to go to the hospital just yet, so they could talk about what they would say, and what they would do. It wasn't that Amane didn't want to get Hikari treatment, she just wasn't sure if the girl could get admitted right away, and she didn't want to watch her sit in pain. She didn't know if Amane could take her anyway and get her admitted, or pay the bills for it. Was Hikari insured? Probably not. The rider didn't care either way, she just hoped nothing would keep her from getting the treatment she needed. Then, there was the police again.

_Would they come talk to her? Hikari would tell them the truth, right? Oh shit... I hope they don't raise shit for me kicking that bastards ass... Well, how else was I going to get her out of there? Diplomacy? Fuck it, if they've got a problem with it, it'll have to wait until Hikari's better. I won't be separated from her until I know she'll be okay_. Amane looked over at the angel laying on her at a stop light. She could see bruises on her fair skin that showed from under the towels, and it broke Amane's heart. She wanted to go back to the houses and drive a knife through Jack's chest, watch him writhe in pain as she slit his throat. She'd never been or felt so violent in her entire life, but the rider could've cared less. She wanted him dead, or somehow in any other way permanently away from Hikari. Personal vengeance would be best though...

She pulled them into her parking spot in the small lot and Amane ran her fingers through Hikari's soft wavy hair. She watched Hikari as she breathed a little shallowly, stirring only a little. Amane hated to wake her up, to bring her back into reality and the pain that would come along with it. But... She knew...

_Maybe if I'm really gentle I can get her upstairs to my room before she can wake up_. She left the cab and ran upstairs to unlock her door, then came back down when the way was clear. She opened Hikari's door and gently pulled her out, trying to keep the towels around her. She didn't bother to shut the door, she'd come back for it later, after she'd put Hikari to bed. The walk up the stairs was a challenge, but she managed to get up them without her waking up.

She laid Hikari softly on her bed, pulled the blanket over her body, kissed her forehead softly, and looked over her wounded girlfriend. Sadly, she left to return to her still open truck. After she had it all locked up and the towels returned on top of the bike, she started back to the apartment. Shutting and locking the door behind her, she heard soft sobs coming from her room. Swearing under her breath, she sprinted to her room and called out softly for Hikari.

"Ca... can you please... P... P lease come here?..." Hikari's voice was small, but Amane would've heard it miles away. She walked over to the bed and kneeled beside it. She saw Hikari shake her tired head.

"No... Please... Next to me... Up here... I... I... Want to feel protected..." Amane nodded and got up on the bed, moving to get behind her and hold her, when Hikari freaked.

"No! I... I'm sorry, just... Please... Stay in front of me... Here, hang on..." She tried to move herself backwards on the bed to make room for Amane. The older girl gently laid down next to her and put her arms somewhat awkwardly around Hikari- it's not like she'd done this before, and in Hikari's fragile state, she was scared of hurting her further. But Hikari seemed fine, and she snuggled as comfortably as she could into Amane. The older girl tried to not think about the girl's still naked body she embraced, because if she had, she knew she would look. She would see all the bruises, all the signs of beatings, the signs of torture and agony... All because she wasn't fast enough. She knew something was going on when she hadn't texted back. Amane hated herself for not returning sooner, but...

_Why did I care if Jack was there or not? If that was his intention, I could've stopped this whole thing if I had just stayed! Now... Now she's..._ Amane couldn't bring herself to think about it. The memory of her on the floor, pinned to the ground and helpless, was forever scarred into her brain, and most certainly her heart. Jack's disgusting form burned holes in her sanity, the fire enraging her once more. If she could go back, Amane would undoubtedly kill him.

_That phone call... I can only imagine what was really going on..._ The phone, being stuck underneath Hikari and open, had dialed Amane when the small girl's back crashed onto it. She didn't know how, but Amane was beyond grateful it happened at the same time- she at first couldn't understand what was happening; she heard rustling and strange sounds, then a rumbling came, and finally a man's voice. Amane was getting scared and then out of no where her phone exploded with "Stop! Jack, stop it please, just stop! Please!"

She had rushed out to her truck with murder in mind. She didn't end the call however, she couldn't. She listened to her cries and screams all the way there, and when she pulled up she had lost connection. She called again as she navigated through the dark house, to see if the noise would deter Jack.

Instead, she found the room all too easily, much unlike the sight before her. She couldn't move- the rage of a beast that felt ages old roared inside Amane, and she gripped onto reality only by her hatred. Almost immediately she heard his voice in the house, antagonizing Hikari even further than she had imagined, every word tearing through her mind. And when she stood in the broken doorway, everything became unleashed. The rider had never known herself to be capable of such violence. But in no way would she ever regret- or forget- what she'd done.

_I'd do it again in a heartbeat Hikari, just tell me_, she thought, kissing her soft wavy blonde hair. Amane closed her eyes to keep tears from spilling, but soon found herself rather exhausted. She knew they would deal with the sorrows to come in the morning, so Amane let herself be drifted off into the surreal realm of her subconscious.

She heard a pair of birds chirping outside, but didn't turn to look, instead falling asleep with her arms still tight around Hikari, and her lips pressed to her skin. Tears slipped out from her eyelids, too overwhelmed in even her groggy state to be held back...

_Hikari... I'm sorry..._

**_For the music geeks amongst you, google father figure by george michaels. Then look at the lyrics carefully._**


	12. From the Mouth, Rejected the Heart

**Little Angel, Ch. 12**

**So, the lives of Hikari and Amane are changed and twisted in completely new directions, and maybe not necessarily the same. Heartbreak is a MAJOR theme here but… if you've read thus far, guess you can't stop can you?**

**I don't own Strawberry Panic, but good lord if I did…**

Hikari woke up the next morning in tears. The pain spiked her bones and burned up to her skin. Her sobs unintentionally woke up Amane, who became immediately alert with alarm.  
>"Hikari?! What's wrong?"<br>"It hurts... So bad..."  
>"Hikari..." Amane looked at her with sad, dreary eyes. "Hang on a sec."<br>She kissed her forehead and moved slowly off the bed and went to her closet to grab a pair of jeans and an old t-shirt, and returned to the bed. "I know they probably won't fit very well, but... It's better than nothing. I'm gunna take you to the hospital." _Here we go..._  
>"Amane, no! What if- what if... What if they call the police? What if they take me to some shelter? What if they think it's you?! Amane, no, I'll be fine, please, don't make me go!"<br>Amane sighed deeply. She thought this would happen. "Hikari, you might've broken something or punctured something, and I can't stand to see you in pain."  
>"Even if I did, I'd still be in pain..."<br>"Maybe not, what if they gave you meds?"  
>"Amane..."<br>"Hikari, please? Let me take you, please Hikari, I want you to be okay."  
>"And I will be-"<br>"And quicker so if I take you."  
>They looked at each other pleadingly. They parted their lips to speak simultaneously, but both of them stumbled on their words. Hikari looked worse by the minute, their argument obviously taking a toll on her frail body.<br>"Hikari..." _Maybe I should just call? It'd be easier on her than if I drive her. But then I wouldn't be allowed in to see her... Damnit._ Amane couldn't take her eyes off the small blonde sweetheart- it was impossible. She sighed and softly placed her hand on her cheek.  
>"I... This... All of this," she waved her hand over Hikari's body, "is my fault. Please Hikari... Let me fix the damage the best I can."<br>"There's a side to it that'll never heal though Amane," Hikari whispered. "I just... I don't want them to touch me, I don't them examining my and touching my body like... Like..." _A piece of meat...  
><em>Hikari's voice broke into shattered cries that brought Amane to her knees, who, for the first time in years, openly wept in front of someone. Her hands shook with sorrow and rage, but she did not take her hand from Hikari's cheek. She instead combed her fingers through the locks of her hair, and sat closer to her as they looked down with their foreheads touching. This felt to them their only comfort, their only stable ground for the time.  
>"Amane... I'm not disgusting, am I?"<br>Amane's voice was lost, so she shook her head and tried hard not to lose whatever composure she had. She whispered out, "You're far from it Hikari... You're beautiful, too beautiful for the lot you've been given, and..."  
>The usually resilient rider bit down on her lip to keep from breaking her voice. Not now... God, not now...<br>"Amane, I know... That... Realistically, I've only known you less than a week... How can you know?"  
>"Because no other girl's ever melted my heart before."<br>They looked up at each other, tears still running down their face. They didn't know what to say. They didn't know what to do or where to go. They didn't know what each other was thinking, but they knew what they were feeling. Amane dropped the clothes from her arm and kissed her, not caring to wipe the tears from her eyes.  
><em>How do I know? I feel it in my heart. I know because... I have to tell her how I feel...<br>_"Hikari, when is it too early to say I love you?"  
>Hikari choked on a sob and shook her head. "A long time...<br>I don't believe in love."

* * *

><p>Amane sat in her living room waiting quietly for Hikari to finish getting dressed. She hung her head in her hands to hide her embarrassment from the world. She hated herself for saying a word of it. <em>A week, really? You dumb fuck! You fucking moron! Why? Oh, I know you're in more fucking pain and disarray than I'll ever know, but by the way, I love you. After a week. Really?! You fucking idiot! You're a creep, that's what, she just got raped and you say I love you? Like that's gunna make it better!<br>_A quick but quiet door closing broke Amane's raging thoughts, and her head quickly snapped up. Hikari stood, and then hobbled over to a chair opposite to Amane.  
><em>Is she not even going to sit next to me anymore? How bad did I just fuck up?<em>  
>They sat in silence for a few minutes without meeting each other's eyes. Amane wanted so bad to apologize, to take it back, to say anything to break the silence. Did it take three words to ruin the best and only relationship she'd ever been in?<br>Finally, Hikari sighed. "So... You're not taking me to the hospital, right?"  
>"No... It doesn't make me comfortable, but I won't ever force you."<br>"Thank you."  
>The silence returned.<br>The rider scratched her head and looked at her feet, trying to think of something to get them out of this rut. "Um... Are you hungry?"  
>Almost instantaneously their stomachs growled at the mention of food. It was half past eleven already so it hadn't surprised her. Amane wasn't exactly a great chef, but she knew how to get to a McDonalds from her apartment, and at this point food was food. She thought about Star Bright and knew she wouldn't have time to visit her closest friend for a while. A saddened look- somehow possibly more so than before- came over her, but Hikari couldn't look up to notice. She just nodded her head. "A bit I guess."<br>"Do you wanna stay here or come?"  
>"I'll stay here... I wanna take a shower."<br>Amane nodded. Hikari looked up and they finally met eye to eye. "I'll be back soon... Um, there's a house phone if you need to get a hold of me."  
>"Okay..."<br>Amane thought she was going to cry. Why was she being so short with her? It hurt so bad... The rider grabbed her keys and headed out before she would break down again. As she opened the door, she turned and said, "I'll be back soon Hikari."  
>At first, there wasn't a reply and Amane's throat closed up, but she heard back a whispered, "I'll be waiting..."<p>

Amane walked sullenly to her truck. She burst the engine into life and backed out slowly. Tears still threatened to emerge, and she pulled back in before they exploded. She cried for Hikari, for her pain and suffering, for her horrid life, for screwing up their relationship, for not helping her. Amane was rendered powerless to function by the force of her tears. It seemed like ages had passed before she finally got herself under control and could finally take off. She wanted to ride on Star Bright for hours on end, so she could clear her mind, but knee it would be completely immature and reckless of her to just abandon Hikari, even for a short while. Even if she didn't feel the same way, Amane still made it her priority to provide the best she could for the young girl. Yes, it hurt terribly, in ways Amane would never understand or feel the end of, but it would never hinder her from doing what she could for Hikari.  
>As she finally left the complex, Amane felt the rift that could be growing between her and Hikari would stop eventually. It was just something she would have to put aside until the beautiful blonde was healed, inside and out.<p>

Meanwhile, Hikari sat staring at the picture of Amane and Star Bright that rested on the coffee table. She picked it up and unconsciously cosseted the photo. Almost lovingly.  
>She grew disgusted with herself. Amane opened her heart to her, like Hikari was afraid she would never do, then shot her down. <em>Because I'm scared... Well... How can I not be? How the hell is love even real? It can't be! It just can't! With people like him, there just is no love in the world. There isn't... And someone like Amane, saying it to me... She's probably confused. Probably regrets it. Ugh!<br>_She bit her lip to hold back tears, but they broke through anyway from the pain. It just never seemed to stop. The waves of it consumed her and she bent over, clutching the picture of Amane to her chest. When it subsided enough for her to sit back up, she moved to the large couch and lay there, looking again at picture, her thumb caressing Amane's face. Hikari closed her eyes and breathed as deep as she could. Just days ago she considered love possible. Was she being foolish? She thought so. But...  
><em>She was so honest... She feels something to make her want to do all this for me. But how is it even possible? I'm... Just... I don't even know...<em>  
>Hikari wished desperately to rewind the last twenty minutes and redo everything with Amane since she left the bedroom. She wished she hadn't asked her to leave, it wasn't like she hadn't just seen her naked the night before. She still trusted Amane, she still wanted to be with her. She hoped to God that she wouldn't leave her, not now, not when she needed her the most.<p>

And that was the truth of it. Hikari desperately needed Amane. She was her lifeline, her support and structure. She had nothing and no one and no where without her. To a definite end, she maybe had a part of her heart that...  
><em>No... It's been a few days. It's not, and I probably won't ever. Maybe I'm really as fucked up as Jack said. Love? It's not real... Not for me at least.<em>  
>She refused to let her tattered mind or her broken heart venture any further. Her body was overwhelmingly sore and her breathing became a little more difficult once again. She thought of calling Amane, but it might've just pushed her to call for an ambulance. And that scared her drastically.<br>Hikari had no desire whatsoever to be poked and prodded and examined and god knows what else what. She still shook from the violations of the night before... She would never let any one touch her again like he did. Never.  
>She decided to move on with her morning. She moved to the bathroom to take a shower, but her hands faltered when it came to undressing herself. <em>I can't shower in them...<br>But...  
>I can't look...<br>_She removed her shirt slowly so to not spike her pain again. She looked up in a mirror. She instantly regretted it and hated everything she saw.  
>Blotches of black and blue covered her, festered with red and yellowish wisps suffocating her skin. She now realized the pain in her jaw came from similar yellowish and purplish marks near her cheek. Tears swelled in her eyes. She couldn't bear to look anymore. She collapsed onto the floor, grasping onto the cabinet handles to try to stay up, but failed. She felt so weak and so disgusting. Her body felt beat, used, unfixable. The tears poured from her eyes, and her sobs tore from her throat in jagged, broken escapes. She had never felt so worthless. She had never felt so alone. She wished again she hadn't pushed Amane away, that she was here instead.<p>

But her thoughts wouldn't last long, as she fell completely to the floor as her hands and knees gave out, unable to serve her any longer. Nothing processed through her mind other than the terrible aches. The minutes dragged on and her breathing was indeterminable- her sobs heaved her and shook her in a horrid fashion. Eventually, the only thing that could be uttered from her was, as she lay there, whispering and weeping, "Why? Why?"  
>She heard footsteps crash through the house suddenly and she froze, afraid and whimpering.<p>

Amane fell to her knees seeing Hikari lying on her bathroom floor, eyes red as gashing wounds, and shirtless, exposing the horrible bruising afflicted to her innocent skin.  
>"Hikari..."<br>"No! Please," her weeping blue eyes connected with Amane's for just a moment before staring again at the floor. "Just... I'm sorry, I just... I'm so disgusting, please, go!" _I told you… And I don't care what you say. It's true… It's so true, I'm just-  
><em>"Hikari, no, you're not, you're anything but!" Amane let out, exasperated by her despair. She hung her head and whispered. "You're an angel Hikari..."  
>The smaller girl sniffed and tried to bring her eyes to Amane's again, but couldn't. She shook her head, which Amane took for her disagreeing.<br>"Hikari you are. You are, and the horribleness that someone could hurt you like this belongs in hell. You're a blessing Hikari. That's why..." _I will not say it again. Not today, and probably not soon.  
><em>Amane wanted to kick herself_. Stupid idiot. Why?_ Now she's crying even harder.  
>The rider reached out to hold her hand, and was genuinely surprised when she didn't pull away. Pain swelled in their chests in their own ways, and this simple link is what kept them both in control.<br>"Amane..." Hikari whispered after a time. "I uh... I'm sorry, but... Can I please take a shower?"  
>"Of course, I'll be out in the living room."<br>Amane gave a soft squeeze to the younger girl's hand, and got up to leave.

"Wait… Amane?"

The rider's heart stopped.

"I'm sorry… I know you only want to help me… Or did, but… look, about this morning…"

"Hikari, it's alright. We can talk about it if you want after we eat. Okay?"

Hikari looked to the floor and nodded. Amane looked at her for a second, almost lost like, but the turned and walked slowly out of the bathroom, closing the door behind her. The rider sighed as she walked away, not knowing her angel behind the door was doing the same.

The battered soul stepped into the shower gingerly, hoping not to bump into anything, or god forbid, please don't let her trip. The water was a bit above lukewarm, and Hikari looked around for soap to wash her body off with. She found a lemon-lime colored bar that smelt like citrus fruits, and was careful to lather it along her body. The water dripped down her face, and it made the small blonde girl think of all the tears she'd shed over home, or whatever that was supposed to be. What was home, and where was it now for her? She couldn't stay here with Amane forever, could she? Eventually, someone would come knocking at the door, and Hikari would be on the run. She'd be damned before she ever went back there, especially with him under its roof. But… wait… maybe…  
>If Hikari was going to stay here, even for another night, she knew she had to sort out here feelings. Preferably sooner than later. She made a running list in her head.<p>

She'd known Amane less than a week. Personally, at least.

Amane was her first relationship. How did she know if it was a good one?

She knew because she made her feel safe.

Amane almost never failed to make her smile, or her heart flutter, or her head swirl, and she loved the feeling.

She knew she could trust Amane to always come to her side.

Hikari sighed and closed her eyes for a minute, trying to focus...

How long would this list go on for? Hikari sighed. It didn't matter. She wouldn't find a single flaw about Amane and she knew it. She just didn't know how it made her feel entirely. After a few days, she wasn't about to believe anything, no matter how much she might want it. Amane... She means a lot to me, especially with all that she's doing now, but do I have the capacity to love her ever? How can she know it so easily when we just met last Wednesday. I guess... I'll... I'll figure it out later. With that she turned around, all the soap amd shampoo having been rinsed from her, and shut off the water. She stepped out, her thoughts still whirring, and dried off. She changed into the clothes from before and took a deep breath before stepping out to the living room.

* * *

><p>As she sat waiting on the couch, Amane sank lower and lower into it until she sat with her head below her hands, and her fingers scratching absentmindly on the back of her neck. She felt like crawling onto the floor and just staying there. There was something about being at the floor that appealed greatly to her right about then and it made her feel incredibly childish. Her girlfriend was going through the most difficult thing in her life and their relationship, her only conceived stronghold, was now unbalanced because of her. She lifted her head to the scent of the still warm fast food sitting on the counter. God, was she starving suddenly. She wanted to smack herself for getting sidetracked, but realized that her brain probably had a reason for it. She heard Hikari start and stop the shower within maybe ten or fifteen minutes of each other, which surprised her. She thought she'd be in there a bit longer. Amane got up to bring out the greasy food, separating the two sausage and cheese sandwiches and hash browns. She poured two glasses of water and set them on the coffee table, not caring to actually eat at the table a few feet away with riding crap all over it.<p>

Hikari came out from the bathroom looking a little damp still, her arms folded around her chest. Amane's heart, already having crumbled to dust, now fell through the growing cracks of her self control. _She looks so lost... So hurt... I wish she would let me in... I wish I could fix it all and make it go away, like it never happened. _Of course, it would never be possible. But Amane hoped for it anyway. _Without me it wouldn't have happened in the first fucking place. Now... God, Hikari's just... Destroyed. My Hikari. _The blonde girl was then next to Amane, looking down at her feet still. She shook a bit, almost as if trying to reach out but too scared to. "Hey..." The rider searched for something more intelligent to say, but was let down. So instead she asked, "Food?" Hikari smiled just slightly and nodded. "Food sounds good."

As they chewed and worked on through their cooled meals, the lingering silence never much wavered. Hardly a glance had past between the couple, and after, neither could get themselves to move. Just plainly, as Amane was thinking, it sucked. She wanted to make some kind of conversation with her girlfriend, something to cheer her up, and she marked her failure down to lack of experience and traumatic exemption. Finally though, she thought of something.

"Um... Hikari... I think... Someone would wanna see you. It always makes me feel better to go and... Well... Nevermind, just come on." Amane jumped and offered a hand to Hikari, who took it carefully. They manuevered out of the apartment and down the stairs and back into the truck. It never once occured to ask Amane where it was she wanted to take her. It wouldn't have really mattered because she drifted off into sleep not long after.

"Hikari, we're here sweetie." The small girl was brought slowly back into reality, where her prince in shining armor was once again glorified by the rays of the sun extravagent before her. When her daze wore off, she looked around and realized Amane was out of the truck already. A smile flooded her face, bringing it to life. "I thought this would do the trick," Amane chuckled. She held on tight as the whinnying Star Bright spurred up before them and shook his benevolent mane.

**A/N: depressing, i know... but... love withstands all, or something, right?**


	13. Mother, Can I Come On Home?

**Little Angel ch. 13**

**I know this is short, but I wanted a little piece just to focus on Hikari's mother. Is she a soulless bitch, and will she choose to believe Jack over her own flesh and blood? (I had so much fun with this sadly**)

_Sex appeal and drugs. Was it worth losing my daughter? Where was she? And what did he do? Do I want to know? Where did he go?_

_There's blood all over the disaster of this room. Was it a fight? Why is the bed frame crooked... My god, it's cracked! What the hell? It must've been some kind of struggle. Maybe she said something to him and he just... Or maybe she was doing something? But... What?! Hikari's always so well behaved. It's that damned Yaya that's got me worried, always running around making a ruckus of things. Maybe she tried sneaking out and he caught her. But that wouldn't make him mad enough to do... Well what, I'm not sure.  
>Just what exactly did he do! I want to scream and beat the shit out of him! It's no use though... He's so big... Oh Hikari... I hope she's still breathing at least... He won't be if I get a hold if him, or when he's asleep.<br>Where is that piece of shit anyway? I hope he's out there finding her... Trying to make things right... He's a good man... Right?  
>There's mud in the carpet...? He was outsi- no, wait... It's coming from the hallway and stops here... Somebody else came! Did they help my Hikari?! Maybe it was one of the neighbors! Oh, I should go look!<br>But... Why wouldn't they have gotten me? So... Goddamnit! Why can no one answer me!  
>Hikari... I'm sorry... I miss you...<br>Please come home_


	14. Here In Your Arms

**Little Angel ch.14**

**Well, after that lovely little excerpt from her mother, do you think Hikari would honestly care? Or do you think she's more focused right now on her and Amane's questionable relationship?**

_I wonder if my mom knows what happened...  
><em>Hikari was resting her head on Amane as they rode through the trails on the park. Star Bright kept a brisk pace, seemingly happy to be out again and somewhat oblivious to what's going on in his rider's life.  
>"Hey Amane?"<br>The rider turned her head, thoroughly surprised to hear Hikari. "Yes dear?"  
>"Um... Can I ask you something?"<br>"Anything, Hikari."  
>"If someone came looking for me... What will we do?"<br>Amane paused before she answered. "What would you wanna do?"  
>"Well, it would depend on who it was..."<br>"Are you afraid Jack's gunna come loo-"  
>"No! I-Not-"<br>Amane looked down and got out quickly, "Hikari'msosorryididn'tmeantofreakyououtijustthoug htyouwerescaredand... And... I..." She sighed, taking a deep breath, then got out slower, "Look... I want... To keep you as safe and happy as- I know you're not technically living with me- and I can't really support two people and a horse very well, but I'll be damned if I don't try-"  
>She was jumping from point to point, but Hikari got what she was trying to say.<br>"Amane, if it's Jack, I wanna run. If it's my mom, I wanna run. If it's the authorities... I'd wanna run."  
>Amane jerked, and in turn so did Star Bright. "Hikari, but..."<br>"I don't want to get our story twisted like your some kidnapper... What if Jack tells them that we got in a fight and him and you... Then you took me... Just, what if? I can't get you in trouble. That's why I won't go to a hospital."  
>She grew quickly silent and Amane realized that even as gentle as her beautiful Stallion's stride might be, it was probably hurting her.<br>"Hikari, did you wanna stop for today?"  
>"Why would I want that? I love riding with you," she replied very confused.<br>"Your chest, your stomach, I thought it might be a bit sensitive still."  
>Hikari only barely smiled, something now unnoticeable to anyone, but she did hug Amane a little tighter. "No Amane, this is the best thing for me right now."<br>Amane looked forward again, a smile playing at her lips and a blush in her cheeks. They continued on through the trails of their forestry surroundings, seeing it together, and finally uninterrupted. Star Bright would gallop a little faster occasionally, so eager to race off like he'd been trained for. Amane appreciated his juvenile abundance of energy, but she would tug the reigns regardless if he got to hot on his heels.

It was about dusk when the pair of them rested soundly against the trunk of a grand oak. Star Bright stood diligently, elegantly, off on the other side. Even tied to the tree, he looked unstoppable. Amane caught a glance of him throwing his head back and letting his mane flow in the wind.  
><em>Hehe, you're such a show off, she thought. Shoulda named you Fabio.<br>_Hikari was now more at ease being close to Amane, even though they only barely touched. They sat shoulder to shoulder, and eventually, as of course fate would have it, found their fingers warmly intertwined. Amane's heart felt like it had just started again without realizing it stopped; Hikari thought hers dropped dead.  
><em>I wish I had the courage to hold her. Without being on Star Bright, of course... Her strong arms... They've never hurt me, so why am I rejecting them? She's been nothing but soft to me...<br>_Hikari pondered on it for what seemed like hours. She craved to snuggle into her girlfriend as they had last night, but something about it now was just... _Too hard.  
>Is it because she loves me, and I can't love her back? Am I that rigid?<em>  
>"Hikari, what is it?" Amane asked suddenly, worry high in her voice. Hikari hadn't realized she'd been crying.<br>"Nothing Amane, just thinking. Honest," she said, ending with a smile. Her heart hurt to let the thoughts unravel themselves. What if all of this was happening and at the end of the day, it just wasn't meant to be?  
>New tears sprung loose from the blonde's huge blue eyes, and this time she felt them weigh heavily onto her. More emotionally than anything.<br>"Hikari! Honey, what-"  
>"Amane, I don't want to lose this! I'm sorry I'm so distant, I just- I ju-ju..." Her voice was breaking like pencils against concrete slabs. "I'm not- that's not how I feel! I'm being so distant and- oh god, it's just all my fucking fault, and I'm so sorry!"<br>Amane's jaw hung, but mostly from her word choice. _Did her Hikari really just...?  
><em>"Hikari, this, to me, all of it is worth anything if I can keep you safe and happy. Never Ever think I'll wanna give you up. I promise. Hikari, you're hurting, you're confused, and you wanna run from the police for I guess good reasons. That's no reason to think you're being distant. You're healing... I'll be the best nurse I can."  
>Hikari squeezed her hand. It was the only mildly intimate thing she could do, but Amane understood perfectly. She wants to get better. She'll let me help her.<br>Amane turned her head further to get a better view of Hikari's slowly brightening face. She still looked hurt and confused. But the endless sadness had almost seemed to completely disappear. It almost seemed that, to Amane, she was struggling to decide if she would smile or not. How badly the bluenette craved to kiss those slightly quivering pink lips of hers, but she knew it would reverse anything Hikari had worked up. If Hikari was going to push past this, her lover couldn't push her any quicker than she was willing. She respected her and understood that this pain would take A LOT of healing.  
><em>I wonder if she knows how much I care about her... How grateful I am for all of this, the blonde wondered. I wonder if I'll ever be able to show her.<br>_Hikari found herself leaning more and more into Amane, only really noticing she was practically in her lap and her Rider had put her arm around her. She blushed and smiled softly, but fell asleep soon after, quite tired by her day.  
>The last thing she remembered hearing was Amane gentle chuckling voice. "I saw that."<p>

Back at Amane's apartment, Hikari sat next to her girlfriend, munching on take out rice and chicken. She was the happiest she'd been all day, but sadness still pressed its ugly thumb into her chest. Amane had taken notice quickly and asked her if she could do anything.  
>"Amane... Unless you could pack time into a pill... I don't think there's much you can do. I just... Just practically lost my family. As horrid it could be sometimes, it was the best I had for a home and parents. Don't get me wrong, I love being with you! You're the shoulder I need to curl up to right now; no one else could possibly do what you do. You're... You're like a Prince. You saved me, you watch me and... You... Care about me. It's more than any girl could have dreamed to have just watching you from the crowd Amane. You're a dream come true, but don't feel bad that I'm still stuck in a nightmare."<br>Hikari felt bittersweet about saying the truth. Every word past her lips she meant to the fullest, but they were hard as rocks and tasted like toxic. Every word she said she had seen reflect in Amane's eyes one way or another, but she noticed that those big milky brown eyes never left her. "Amane... Truly, I'm so grateful to have you... Where would my life be going right now otherwise?"  
>For the first time, Amane blinked, taken aback. <em>Well... Where would I be?<br>_Instead, what came out was;  
>"It's more than just caring about you Hikari, I-"<br>_Shit!_  
>They looked at each other, very nervously.<p>

_Don't say it you idiot!_

_Do you still mean it?_

_What if I scare her?_

_What if we've been completely wrong about our feelings?  
><em>  
>"It's the human thing to do, to look after someone who's hurt."<p>

_There. I didn't say it._

_You didn't say it?...  
><em>  
>Hikari had no idea how she felt about that, and THAT in itself was incredibly weird. Just this morning she had believed love was a myth. Now she found herself almost curious to her Amane say it again.<br>But... It wasn't like Hikari could say it back. She wasn't honestly sure what loving someone felt like. She never wanted to feel the loss of not having Amane, but she was sure love was more than need of a tender embrace and sweet words. But, according to all those cheesy movies and dorky couples she'd seen at school... love was supposed the best feeling in the world. And... If that was really... wasn't as much as she knew and she felt for Amane, then, love? Wasn't THAT the best she'd known?  
>Of course it was.<br>But she wouldn't call it as she saw it if she was right. Once upon a time she loved her mother, trusted her and let her in; Yaya too. Her mother brought Jack into her life, and Yaya almost destroyed their relationship for her uncontrollable hormones and emotions. She never did put faith in her mother again, and with Yaya she trusts as much as is safe. So, with those two wonderful relationships in hand... How would she know? Hikari thought back to Yaya, and how she acted and what she confessed to her younger blonde friend during long nights of twisted agony and rejection. How she praised the girl constantly and brought smiles to her face as often as she could. Amane did all of it, though admittedly much better. Hikari was just... So much more open to Amane than Yaya's advances. It wasn't a crush she had in those bleachers, but it wasn't obsession.  
>Then there was the day they met face to face, and her heart almost stopped. She felt herself warm at the close memory, and snapped back to the present when Amane put her fingers to the soft pink cheek.<br>"Hikari?..."  
>"Amane... I um... No," she brought back their original conversation, "The way you are is so much different from everyone else, and that's what's so beautiful about you."<p>

_Mouth, what are you doing?!_

"You're humanity, you're heart, it makes me melt inside,"

_Heart- shut up!_

"I'd be hopeless and crying in my room right now if I didn't have you."

_Brain, tell me to shut up!_

"Around you, part of me woke up... I thought that what he did killed it. But really, he just scared it away..."

W_hat. The. Hell. Are. You. Doing?!  
><em>  
>"I care about you too Amane..."<p>

_Good girl... Now be quie-_

"Justlikeyoucareaboutme."

_Oh you idiot!_

Hikari had her face down and eyes clamped shut as she last spoke, too nervous and scared to look at Amane. Nonetheless, her rider's strong hand never left her cheek. In fact, she seemed to pull the little blonde back up to meet her equally nervous gaze. "Hikari, I love you. You don't have to force yourself to say it back if you don't mean it-"  
>"Amane, I do though. I WANT you to hold me. I WANT you to kiss me. I WANT to be by your side every waking moment of mine because I'm happier that way. Because, if this is what I want, and this is what makes love <em><span>love<span>_, then yes Amane, I do love you too."

Hikari blushed at her bold words, but Amane still never moved her eyes from the blonde's. They looked to each others gazes, the mighty ocean orbs filling and absorbing the velvet chocolate spheres. A tender touch to Amane's cheek had shot a spark between them and instantly their lips met in frenzy as if they hadn't touched in years. It grew so wild and passionate, so strong and intense, and they wanted more and more. Their bodies heated up like instinct, and flames soared through them.  
>Someone had lit their hormones on fire, and love was going to do its damned hardest to get its way.<br>In the midst of their hot and heavy kissing, Amane's lips somehow found themselves slipping to Hikari sweet spot down on her neck. The moment her lips connected to the sensitive skin, she mewled and moaned uncensored, growing a little more louder with each passing bite. Amane sucked her skin feverishly, feeling and hearing Hikari's throat vibrate and her body shake each time. The younger girl had her fingers snaked and weaved through the bluenette's hair, her cracking voice and tugging hands begging for more.  
>But... As much as the lovers wanted to explore the depths of "possibilities," Amane was still hyper aware of her young Hikari's fragile state.<br>"H-Hikari... We should... We should wait a bit before..."  
>"Going on?"<br>"Yeah," the rider blushed at what they were saying, mixed with what they were doing, and she realized how much she DIDN'T wanna stop. She was curious... Very curious. But she knew Hikari wouldn't be able to handle it and that was far more important. "If you want, Hikari, I'll carry you to bed?"  
>"Will you stay with me?"<br>"If you want me to, then of course, I shall."  
>She smiled and put her meek little arms around Amane's neck. The rider picked her up with ease and carried her to her bedroom. Amane thought back to Hikari calling her a prince, and blushed. Once inside and on the bed, they snuggled together under the sheets, facing one another. Amane's arms wrapped securely around Hikari, and she smiled as she watched her little lover drift off silently into sleep.<br>Two birds chirped a soft melody outside as Amane herself followed, whispering;  
>"Sweet dreams deary."<p> 


	15. If I'm James Dean, Get Off the Motorbike

**Little Angel ch. 15**

**OKAY! So, um, I'm sorry I haven't updated lately the chapter's been done for a week, but I've been busy, plus last week was my birthday on Wednesday xP so, yeah, enjoy :3**

Amane woke up alone in her bed, and freezing. The blankets had fallen off the bed and laid on the floor in remarkable disarray. But all in a moments notice she remembered Hikari was supposed to have been sleeping right next to her on the inside of the bed. Where did she go, and how come Amane was only JUST waking up?  
>The blue haired rider got up, half asleep still and knocked herself on the edge of the frame.<br>"Agh! Shit!" She cried in just above a loud whisper. She had a ragged little gash along her thigh. "Goddamnit!"  
>It was barely more than a scratch, but it just seemed to hurt like hell. She was definitely awake now though.<br>Leaving her bedroom, she heard music coming from her bathroom, the door shut and water running. She assumed Hikari to be taking a shower but... She got closer to the door.

_Stay for tonight  
>If you want to, I can show you<br>What my dreams are made of, as I'm dreaming of your face  
>I've been away for a long time<br>Such a long time  
>And I miss you there I can't imagine being anywhere else<br>I can't imagine being anywhere else but here..._

This wasn't any radio. Hikari voice rung sad little notes to a song Amane didn't know very well, but...  
><em>She's still so beautiful sounding... I can't believe it...<em> The sadness in her voice is depressing, but it sounds like it should be a happier song?

_How the hell did you ever pick me?  
>Honestly, I could sing you a song<br>But I don't think words can express your beauty  
>It's singing to me<br>How the hell did we end up like this?  
>You bring out the beast in me I fell in love from the moment we kissed<br>Since then we've been history_

Hikari's voice started to pick up and sound more alive, and Amane's heart fluttered. She was indeed listening to music, the most beautiful singer giving her a special solo show.

_They say that love is forever  
>Your forever is all that I need<br>Please stay as long as you need  
>Can't promise that things won't be broken<br>But I swear that I will never leave  
>Please stay forever with me<br>_  
>Amane now rested against the door, head pressed against by the ear, and she closed her eyes as her heart fell into Hikari's voice.<p>

_It goes to show,  
>I hope that you know that you are<br>What my dreams are made of  
>Can't fall asleep, can't fall asleep<br>I lay in my bed awake, in my bed awake at night  
>As I dream of you I'll fall in love, you'll fall in love<br>It could mean everything, everything to me  
>I can't imagine being anywhere else<em>

_They say that love is forever  
>Your forever is all that I need<br>Please stay as long as you need  
>Can't promise that things won't be broken<br>But I swear that I will never leave  
>Please stay forever with me<br>_  
>The rider found herself singing along to this now, aching to be closer to her beautiful angel.<br>_  
>The way that we are<br>It's the reason I stay  
>As long as you're here with me<br>I know we'll be Ok  
>The way that we are<br>It's the reason I stay  
>As long as you're here with me<br>I know I'll be Ok_

_They say that love is forever  
>Your forever is all that I need<br>Please stay as long as you need  
>Can't promise that things won't be broken<br>But I swear that I will never leave  
>Please stay forever with me<br>_  
>The song hit Amane full force as she heard and whispered out the last lines with Hikari, still unbelieving of her fantastic voice<p>

_They say that love is forever,  
>Your forever is all that I need Please stay as long as you need<br>Can't promise that things won't be broken  
>But I swear that I will never leave Please stay forever with me<br>_***

Amane didn't come back to reality until she heard the water turn off. She didn't quite realize however, how odd it would be for her to be standing right in front of the door like a creep should she emerge. The bathroom door swung open slowly, and, caught completely off-guard, Amane stood there wide eyed, beet red, and opened jawed.

"_I couldn't love just anyone, I was created to love just one baby_," were the first words out of her mouth.  
>Hikari flushed the same shade as Amane, and, as the rider just noticed, tugged the towel tighter around her body tighter.<br>"I-i thought you were still sleeping..."  
>"I was, but, I think you being gone woke me up," she replied sheepishly. "Then I heard the shower running and... Honestly, I'm not sure where I know that song from, but to hear you sing it, I can tell it's so much better."<p>

Amane felt like she seemed to be trying to save face, and she really wanted to kick herself. Hikari looked down at her feet, and the rider noticed the dampness of her hair, the water dripping down from her golden locks to her slick, soft skin, almost forming small pools at her feet. Amane saw that the bruises around her shoulders and legs were almost yellowed, and most of the darker colors had faded. The rider almost freaked out when she saw the still red mark on her neck, but recognized it as the hickey she'd given her a few nights ago.  
>She noticed the scent of her own shampoo on the smaller girl and unconsciously moved closer, smelling her normal fruitiness underneath. Her off-white towel just covered her torso and only just reached around her thighs, something which caused Amane's face to distort in shyness. It was so hard to tear her eyes away from her, yet she knew how highly inappropriate it was. If Hikari caught her, she knew she'd be in a world of trouble, so she excused herself to go grab her young lover some clothing.<br>She picked out a pair of black gym shorts far too small for herself and a small white tee that could choke the rider should she try putting on. However, she was grateful she had never gotten around to clearing out her closet, as otherwise, she didn't know how she'd keep Hikari clothed. As the thought of Hikari naked in her apartment intrigued more and more scandalous ideas, Amane grew disappointed in herself. _Really? What's wrong with you? Have you got no self control left? Do you remember WHY she's here?  
><em>And of course, she'd never forget either. She looked at the clothes she'd picked out and realized how... Un-Hikari they were, for lack of better words. So unflattering, and lifeless, but then again Hikari's personality usually seemed to animate everything around her, at least to Amane it seemed. Her little blonde didn't seem to mind one bit however and went back into the bathroom to change. Only then did she remember it was Monday, and out of the blue as well. But, not being particularly in work, it didn't matter much that the weekend was over, and Amane was glad she could stay home to watch over Hikari. She missed Star Bright already, but depending on how her beautiful blondie was feeling later, maybe they could go.  
>Hikari reemerged looking a little more cheerful than before. She chuckled before hugging Amane softly.<br>"Your old gym clothes? I feel so special," the little blonde was giggling now, and just before Amane could apologize, Hikari looked up and continued. "No, really, I do! I'm wearing the Prince Ootori's old school uniform. It's cute."  
>She was wrapping her arms just slightly tighter around the rider, whose blush had now returned. This drew another laugh for Hikari, and it set everything okay in Amane's head. She was happy, which meant she was healing, which meant worlds to the bluenette.<br>She herself smiled happily, kissed Hikari's forehead and sat back down on the bed, whose covers still laid on the floor. Hikari sat down next to her, and without thinking about it, their hands linked together. The smaller girl leaned onto Amane and snuggled her head into her shoulder.  
>"So... What're we doing today?"<br>"Well... How do you feel?"  
>"Um... Better," was her half-hearted reply.<br>Amane looked at her nervously. She assumed the worst. "Honey... What's wrong?"  
>"Um... My... My ribs...and... It was hard to breathe in the shower. When I started singing, it got easier, but afterwards I felt like fainting"<br>Amane looked crestfallen. Fainting? Breathing problems? Just how much more serious was this going to get? She didn't want to have an argument with Hikari about seeing a doctor, although she was afraid of how much worse it could be. She half regretted now taking her on Star Bright yesterday, thinking that the bumpiness only added to her injury.  
>"How long has this been happening? Since this started?" She worded it carefully.<br>"No... The fainting feeling's new... But..."  
>"But...?" Amane prompted.<br>"My breathing has been on and off okay... It's gotten a little better though," she admitted, thinking of the morning after she came here. She saw Amane's face visibly deflate. Again. "Hikari..."  
>"I know it's bad... But please sempai, don't make me go see someone, I'll be okay."<br>She gave Amane a huge, teary, pleading blue eyed gaze, and the rider couldn't bring herself to argue. _Of course you can't... I know it could be just as wrong as it is right, but goddamnit if I'll break her trust.  
><em>Her heart stopped as a tear fell from Hikari's eye, and dragged along her cheek. _What did I miss?!  
><em>"Hikari?!"  
>"S-sorry sempai... I-it just hurts a bit, I'll be fine in a minute."<br>"No, Hikari, what if-"  
>"Please Amane, just trust me? I don't want to be rude... I know your only looking out for me, but-"<br>She was abruptly cut off by her lovers lips, and it spoke volumes.  
>1- Amane really knew what was best, and Hikari should let her do it.<br>2- It was killing her to breathe, and sadly, it was the only time it ever hurt to kiss Amane.  
>3- Amane would only do any of this- including cutting her off- so Hikari could be brought back to her senses.<br>She sensed the pain in Amane's body. She sensed her worry and concern. She sensed her own frailty from her wounds, both the physical ones and... Otherwise. She sensed, with an overwhelming fright, that her fears of Amane being reprimanded for something not her fault were childish. Her lover only went along with it so she herself would feel more secure.  
>But now it was time to heal, really, and Hikari knew that as hard as she could try, Amane couldn't do it all.<br>"I'll go," she whispered, pulling away slowly from Amane's lips. "You're right, I've just been scared and ridiculous."  
>Amane looked shell shocked. "I didn't mean it like- Hikari I just want-"<br>"-Me to heal. I know, love, and I'm sorry I turned away your help," she herself felt more tears approaching, but part of it from the pains in her chest and stomach. "But, I just didn't see how much it was affecting you. I never thought... I'm just..."  
>"Not used to having someone watch out for you."<br>Amane finished her sentence as Hikari had hers. They found they could only look at each other for a moment. What Amane said was WAY out of line. It killed Hikari to admit it, though she had years ago, and every day it just itself proved more and more true until it finally got shoved in her face like a sick reminder. I-couldn't-care-less-about-you was such a common theme in her young life; which was why she was so scared to lose Amane. Not even Yaya could-  
>"SHIT! Yaya!"<br>"Wait, what? Hikari?!"  
>Amane couldn't catch what happened, but caught on.<br>"She doesn't know. What should we do?!"  
>Amane was still quiet. She was a bit afraid to open her mouth after what she said last. "Um... Maybe... Call her from the doctor's? If you still wanna go, I mean."<br>"W-well ah..." Hikari was shifting around and acting worrisome- how was she going to tell her best friend something like this? And when? The hospital did sound like a good idea. The black haired girl couldn't go insane in there, and if she did, well, the medication probably wouldn't be too far away.  
>"That's probably... A REALLY good idea. Ow, ahhh!"<br>Hikari bent over in pain, and held her sides. She felt like she was cramping, but these weren't menstrual in the slightest. The bruises hurt like hell to touch, and Hikari couldn't move into any other position.  
>"We're going. Now."<br>Amane scooped up Hikari, careful to let her stay curled up, and ran out of that apartment and into her truck faster than Star Bright could race a track. She buckled in Hikari, who was now moaning in pain, tears streaming down her reddening face. Amane could not look over- if she had, she would have lost it. Amane sped away to the main street and prayed that there wouldn't be any police out. She needed to get to the hospital like yesterday.  
>Hikari felt terrible, knowing what it was fully doing now to Amane, but she couldn't hold back her sobs. She didn't know how it was possible, but these pains were worse, so much worse than normal. Her head touched her knees at this point, and her fingers tried their best to massage the pain. Things began to feel like they were spinning, and she wished she could talk to Amane. She felt bile rise through her throat and spill into her mouth, which she regrettably swallowed back down, only to have it come back up again.<br>None of this, however, went unnoticed my Amane.

The normal twenty minute ride to the hospital took maybe twelve, including parking, which Amane hadn't really given half a shit about. As soon as her truck stopped moving, she was out and grabbing Hikari, who was now slowly spilling discolored bile out of her mouth. What the hell was going on?!  
>Slamming open the door to the rather quiet hospital, Amane made a bee line for the front desk, Hikari still a depressing mess in her arms.<br>"I don't care how much, or who takes her, but she needs someone. Now."  
>The girl sitting down only looked half impressed, like she'd seen this everyday. Amane didn't care if she wrote in half a dozen terminal cancer patients everyday, she was going to get Hikari in NOW.<br>Just as she was about to dismiss them to a seat, Amane did something she never thought she would use to her advantage.  
>"Ootori. Amane. Still ignoring me? She's my girlfriend."<br>Whether it was the name or the devil-may-cry fierceness, the rider didn't know, but the woman was up instantly and personally escorting her to the back room.  
>"What's wr-"<br>"She was raped. Can't breath, can't move, bruises everywhere. Where's a damn doctor?!"  
>They were almost running through hallways, Hikari's choked sobs spitting out more of her stomach acids and wrenching her into more pain. A doctor moved to stop them, as they were now entering a specialized ICU level, when both the woman and Amane let out with, "Ootori."<br>His eyes widened, ran to an empty room and opened the door, motioning them inside. He called for several other men as Amane quickly laid Hikari down onto a white-clad bed, holding her hand and waiting for someone to help.

Doctors asked her question after question- what happened, when did this start, are there any other medical complications as of late, has she endured physical trauma lately, where had they been, why had they waited, what other symptoms are there, are you sure she hasn't come into contact with anything viral, does she have allergies (to which she answered "that's no fucking allergy, you fucking moron!)  
>"Look, we just need to know-"<br>"Her step father raped her! She's got bruises EVERYWHERE, can hardly WALK and can't FUCKING BREATHE! WHAT ELSE DOES YOUR QUACK ASS NEED TO KNOW?!"  
>Stunned as he was, the moron had the audacity to scoff at her and ask, "Well, are you sure she was raped?"<p>

If Hikari and the doctors had still been in the room, he might not have a broken jaw and a bloody nose right now.

Taken to a room and immediately prepped for x-rays, a nurse found Amane wondering about trying to find her, informing her that due to the severity of what they might find, it could be a while before she'd see Hikari.  
>"Where is she now?"<br>"She's on the third floor honey, but it's restricted. If I wouldn't lose my job, I'd let you up sweetheart."  
>The nurse looked upon Amane with huge, pitiful eyes. Apparently, no one had noticed the asshole doc still out cold in the ICU room. She knew she'd be in hell for it, but she didn't totally care right then either. Because she was dealing with him, she lost sight of Hikari. A darkness came over the rider as she sat and waited, staring at a set of double doors leading to the higher levels of the hospital.<br>What if they screw something up, or hurt her even worse? What if she needed surgery? All of the most horrible possibilities flung themselves across Amane's thoughts, and she was powerless to stop them. Her Hikari, in god knows how much pain, with only god knows who, never felt so far away. With her head in her hands, Amane sighed deeply, as a dark, heavy tear rolled down her cheek.

It was four thirty when the nurse came around and told Amane to follow her. Stiff from silent tears and moving as much as a statue in the last however many ungodly hours creaked her athletic bones in a pain she had never been accustomed to, but she didn't let it show. Amane followed the woman to another white room, where there lay Hikari, half drugged and chained up to IVs and heart monitors, looking twice as happy as she had before she noticed Amane in the room.  
>"Hikari..." Her name came out as hardly more than a breath under Amane's tongue, as if unsure her name would take her away again. A doctor sitting solemnly in a chair coughed shortly, and the rider whipped her head towards him, her eyes alone demanding everything he had to say.<br>"What. The Bloody Fucking Hell. Took you. And that team of idiots. Four. FUCKING. HOURS. To do to my girlfriend?" Her entire body became a venomously wrathful entity. Amane's body seemed to grow in her worry and rage, and the pathetic little man stared for a moment, his jaw agape, feeling like he was faced with an Oni from his mother's old stories.  
>"Well?!"<br>"U-um, miss Ootori, your ah, friend here-"  
>"Girlfriend."<br>"G-girlfriend has um... W-well multiple a-anal fissures, her bottom pair of ribs are broken into comminuted fractures, and h-has ah, d-damage to her cervix. We found a piece of her rib that um... T-traveled inwards and p-punctured her stomach. We aren't totally sure how-"  
>Amane growled fiercely. Not having an answer was not good for this guy's health right now.<br>"Anywayitcausedabuildupofstom achacidswhich-"  
>"Slow down, short shit. What?"<br>"The rib caused a blockage for stomach acids, and they built up, which caused the bile she was emitting earlier. The discoloration was blood that had found it's way inside from the rib puncture."  
>He paused, gauging Amane's reaction.<br>"Go on," she said coldly.  
>"We were able to extract the piece and stitch the wounds, however the build up will need to work itself out. As for all the bruises, they seemed to form blood clots like I've never seen before. She should have had a stroke days ago, and I believe it's only her young age that kept her funct- um, alive."<br>"Anything else?"  
>The doctor looked at his feet, and then to Hikari, a sad look owning his face. "Sadly... Yes."<br>Amane just waited, again, prepared for the worst.  
>"Due to the damage to her cervix... I'm not sure if she or you two had ever planned for it, but... I... Miss Ootori, I say this as mildly as I can but... I do not believe your girlfriend will ever hold a pregnancy."<br>Amane's face for the first time flashed something, a quick sadness, before turning back to stone. "You can go now."  
>"But-"<br>"I'll fill out whatever I need to later, just get out!"  
>And with that, he ducked out of the room.<br>Okay... So...  
>Hikari couldn't have kids... Did she want them?<br>Amane saw, if only for a second, a much older Hikari, in a room much like this one, holding a small little blonde haired angel, smiling up at her... A house, with two small toddlers chasing each other on a Sunday afternoon... Watching the toddlers turn into something all their own, walking down all of lifers different aisles... And finally, an old bluenette holding hands with a silvery-blonde woman, sitting in American-like rocking chairs, watching two, or maybe three children running around a yard, four more older versions of them gathered on the porch, just smiling and talking and laughing the evening away...

But, just as quickly as it had flashed through her mind, it disappeared. She was only looking at Hikari now, moving involuntarily to her side and holding her hand. The tried their best to smile. Hikari's eyes told her that the blonde knew what she had seen- she had seen it too, and watch it just as quickly disappear. Something unspoken was taught between the two in their silence.

Maybe you might've never wanted it. Maybe you might've never considered it. But now that you can't have it...  
><em>You want it all the more.<em>


	16. What More Can Happen, Honestly?

**Little Angel ch.16**

**So, still in the hospital, how are Amane and Hikari going to deal with their news? And, how is the law going to play into this little soap opera? Lawl, I love talking like an announcer for a cartoon. Anyway, I'm sorry for any tears in the last chapter; this one's not as upsetting. P.S. the names I've used in this story that are Japanese do have some legit meaning to them, I promise you. Voilà!**

The doctors were somewhat amused about Amane's, ah, reconstruction of their colleague's face. They were smart enough not let either him or the doctor which had run down the diagnosis to Amane earlier that afternoon back into the room. In fact, it was better that they had taken the rest of the day off.

When Amane appeared to have come out of her demonic I-will-skin-you-alive aura, a doctor came in and informed them that the chest pains that Hikari had been experiencing could have been in part to panic attacks and stress to the body as well as her mind.  
>"Um... We would like to have a therapist come in and analyze miss... Um..."<br>"Konohana. Konohana Hikari," Amane informed him.  
>"Konohana. If that is alright with the both of you. She is over age right?"<br>The pair fell silent.  
>"She's sixteen... Her step father raped her and I took her away from him after... A small encounter."<br>The doctor now took his turn into silence. If it was anything like she had done to his coworker, it'd be likely the damn fool would be ending up in here pretty soon too.  
>"So... She's not... Under your care?"<br>_Are you saying I kidnapped her?  
><em>"No, she isn't. I was giving her a... Stable enviroment for a while."  
><em>There. Arrest me for that one.<br>_"Do you know her um, primary residence address is?"  
>The doctor was making a visible effort to word this as gently as he could- Amane seemed to take pity on him for now, and relayed to him her address, and the apartment's address.<br>"For legal reasons, I have to ask, do you know the name of the man who-"  
>"His name is Jack," she spit out. "He's an American construction worker. He won't be hard to find."<br>He nodded and headed out.  
>Where was Yaya?<br>Hikari had given her the black-haired girl's number, and she sent a text to her, explaining who it was, where they were, and what happened.  
>Suddenly, yelling could be heard in at least two distinct voices.<br>_Well, speak of the devil.  
><em>With loud stomps and swearing, the room door crashed in, Yaya barreling inside with Tsubomi right on her heels.  
>"Hikari! My poor blondie!"<br>She cradled Hikari's head, having enough sense not to touch anywhere lower, with the bubble-gum pink-haired girl on her opposite side. Amane remained quiet as she watched the three of them talk fervently, teary-eyed, in disarray, and then finally incoherently. Hikari, had tried her best and her longest to tell them what happened Saturday night. But, quickly, the trio was thrown into heart wrenching tears. The Rider stood up and, with sad eyes, continued where her lover left off.  
>"The worst of it though will heal... Mostly..."<br>"Mostly?" Yaya asked, her voice choking.  
>"Well... If she ever wanted... If Hikari ever wanted a family, the damage to her cervix makes it impossible."<br>"C-can't they fix it though?!" Tsubomi shot back, wiping her eyes.  
><em>You'd think<em>. "Too risky..."  
>"Oh Hikari... You'd've made such cute little ones!"<br>This was such the wrong comment; it thrust the three of them back into tears, Amane washed over again with stony sadness. The couple had stayed through the night, doing the best they could to cheer up Hikari, until visiting hours closed. As they bid their goodbyes and the nurse who had been eyeing the room nervously made her way over.

As every night, she regretted this part of the shift... However, tonight would be the cruelest.  
>She knocked softly on the door and stepped solemnly inside.<br>"I-I suppose you know visiting hours are over, Miss Ootori..."  
>"Yeah, don't worry, her friends left already."<br>"Um... Well... Not... All of them..."  
>Amane and Hikari caught on at the same time.<br>"What? But I was the one who brought her here, and she has no one-"  
>Tears slipped down the nurse's cheek. She felt the presence of her supervisor behind her. She could always tell it was him- the whole floor would get colder. "Miss Ootori, I'm so sorry, but only family, spouses or guardians after hours-"<br>"I'm taking care of her aren't I? I've been watching her and providing for her since this happened! I might as well be!"  
>"I completely agree, but as long as you're not legally documented as a guardian, I'm afraid the law forbids me from letting you stay dear."<br>It broke the woman's heart to see the pain in their eyes. It was so cruel to tear them apart for even a second during this time, but there was nothing she could do short of losing her job and ending up with a fine. They needed each other right now, even if that couldn't be medically proven; tonight especially, they survived on each other.  
>"The doors open back up at six... It's a seven hour wait. It may seem a long time, but if you both get a good night's rest, it'll pass by like nothing."<br>Her words started to shake- the coldness crept closer. "I can wait to escort you out if you like, Ms. Ootori?"  
>"Alright... But just a moment."<br>The nurse nodded and shut the door. The coldness began to recede.

"I... I can't let you go... This is why I didn't want to come!" Tears streamed down the Rider's and her Angel's faces. "I... I..."  
>"Hikari... Maybe she's right. We get some sleep, and I'll be right back in here as soon as my watch says six. And, maybe some sleep will speed up your healing, too."<br>"Maybe... I just... I don't wanna fall asleep without your arms around me."  
>Amane looked at her lover with red-stained brown eyes. "I know, my angel. But... I hope... It's just one night."<br>She leaned down, holding Hikari's hands, and kissed her deeply one last time for the night, their tears intermingling.  
>"I love you Hikari," she said, as she slowly pulled away.<br>"I love you too Amane... Sleep tight, okay?"  
>"Yeah, you too Hikari... My little Angel."<br>They shared a brief smile before Hikari rolled over and Amane flicked off her light. The nurse had stood outside the door, and offered to lead the way. Amane felt a bit chilly in the main room, but shrugged it off.  
>The nurse stopped her just before they went into the lobby.<br>"I noticed your truck... It's um... Rather ah..."  
>"Poorly parked... Sorry, I was in a bit of rush."<br>"No no! That's understandable! Just um... You don't strike me as the person whose going to go home and come back, so... I found a spare pillow and blanket, there they are."  
>She walked over to a bench and retrieved a plain white set of a blanket and a pillow. "You're not the only to have slept in a hospital parking lot. We won't phone police, don't worry, just um... Try to pick a space, and the management should be fine deary."<br>Amane nodded and looked out at her truck, then back to the woman. "Thank you."  
>"I've been in your shoes dear. If it were up to me, you'd still be in that room."<p>

Horrible, irrational fears plagued Amane as she tried in vain to catch some sleep. She pictured Hikari hopelessly lost in pain with no one to help her. It felt ridiculous, she knew that there was staff around at night, but this distance was overbearing. Not even half a block stood between them, and it still was too much.  
>This protectiveness wasn't new, but it had grown far more pronounced since Saturday night. It wasn't like flipping on a switch; it was like sending a higher voltage through a circuit, waking up others that were intertwined. Hikari was Amane sole purpose right now- she found herself sadly thinking less and less of Star Bright and training. The thought of competitions hadn't passed her mind once over the weekend, but surprisingly finding a job had. She wanted to start supporting a two person...<em> Family? Well, more like "household,"<em> she reasoned. _What defined a family?  
><em>  
>When sleep finally overtook Amane, it came to her dreamless. Two birds chirped sadly outside, just another sad lullaby. Only a sense of nervousness remained, and rider hardly found real rest that night.<p>

Beeps and clicks surrounded Hikari. She felt like these machines were going to enclose her, and she would never leave. This fear is what partly kept her from coming in the first place. Already, she had grown accustomed to Amane's strong arms holding her in the night, and now without them, she found it impossibly cold and frightening. Her body refused to slow down into the lull of sleep until a point of exhaustion beat it out. The knowledge that Amane would be there in the morning was her only hope to actually drift off into sleep.

***

Alarms rang through the whole of Amane's small truck's cab, and she sprang right up. It was five till six. The bluenette quickly gathered the pillow and blanket lent to her and sprinted up to the "visitor only" doors. Soon, a new face approached her and unlocked them, nodding her in. Her nervousness unsettled the Rider. Was everything okay?  
>"She didn't sleep well last night." Well hell, no one could.<br>Amane grew more worried. "Is she okay?"  
>"Oh, over all from yesterday, yes, she's okay. She was probably just scared and lonely."<br>Amane sighed and hung her head. She was so close, and so far... And what was worse is it hurt Hikari just as badly as it had herself.  
>They walked the rest of the way silently to her room, where the dark lights and dim sunrise revealed a poor shaking girl in the midst of a storm of strewn away bed sheets. Amane spun to the nurse, who quickly said, "She'd been tossing around all night. We kept putting them back for her shivers, but they kept coming off."<br>Disheartened and upset, the lady left Amane on her own. As the door shut, Hikari's eyes fluttered, and then brightened upon seeing Amane standing there.  
>"Amane..."<br>"Good morning sweetheart," Amane said, feeling a little more upbeat. "How'd you sleep?"  
>The blonde gave a low giggle. "Only about as good as you look."<br>Amane smirked. "Gee, thanks hun."  
>The Rider edged towards the bed, not sure if the pressure from sitting on it would move Hikari uncomfortably. But, the younger girl patted the space next to her, and looked at Amane like a cute puppy she wanted to snuggle up with. With a goofy looking grin, Amane took the spot and took Hikari's hands in her own. They swam in each other's eyes before pulling themselves closer into a warm kiss. They rested their heads on the other's, tracing the opposite pair of lips with their fingers. It felt so peaceful to be so close to each other again. It was like a fluid filled them and their hearts until they felt like bursting.<br>"So..."  
>"So..," Hikari giggled, not knowing really what to say. Her fingers still traced the contours of Amane's smooth lips, and looked into Amane's deep, bright brown eyes. They fascinated her, to be such a dark color, but shine in their hue. Amane was incredibly gifted in her genes; there was no way to deny it. Her small fingers slowed moved up her cheek, and brushed a piece of stray blue hair behind her ear, which she took great joy in playing with.<br>"Haha, you having fun there, Hikari?"  
>"Yes, actually! They're so cute and round!"<br>The Rider chuckled and rolled her eyes. Only Hikari could like ears. Well, her ears, anyway. "So are yours, deary."  
>"Mine have a box-y shape. Yours are completely round," she retorted. They continued gazing into each other until a knock of the door startled them apart. Amane was instantly up and a good two feet from the bed, completely red faced, as a nurse came in to give Hikari some pain killers. Amane wasn't sure how she felt about it, but whatever Hikari needed, she should have, she reasoned. As they left, a man in blue scrubs motioned in another with a tan shirt and black pants to replace her.<br>"Hello, I'm here to evaluate Ms. Konohana. My name is Dr. Osamu, and I believe you already know I'm the therapist," he didn't have much impression in his voice, more like it was just another day another job to get through. He spun on his heel to face Amane. "You must be Ms. Ootori. Wait, yes, I recognize you now, congratulations on your last win."  
>"Thank you." It was a quick reply.<br>"For this evaluation, I'll need to have Hikari alone. I'll let you know when you can come back."  
><em>Really? I need to leave AGAIN?<em> Amane struggled not to let anger get the best of her again. She nodded to him and turned to Hikari. "I'll be right outside, love." She quickly bent over to kiss her nose, and got up to see Osamu's face a little twisted, but she thought nothing further of it. It was probably safer that way for the man. As the door shut behind her, she almost immediately got the feeling it would be another long day.

_Huh... I've been kinda violent lately._ Amane was reflecting on her aggression during the last week, off the track of course. When she felt herself getting more protective of Hikari, she noticed that she was more willing to fight. _That fucking bastard Jack... I wonder if I killed him, it would have been ruled temporary insanity..._ The doctor, too, had been another victim of the Rider's wrath, and the poor fool who delivered Hikari's diagnosis. At least she hadn't hit him.  
>After what seemed over hours of waiting- realistically, just half of one- the door opened and she walked inside. Hikari had her head held down, and the bluenette rushed to her side, her muscles tensed.<br>"I'm diagnosing Hikari so far with depression and proneness to anxiety. She started having a meltdown during our session, which is why I opened the door. You seem to have a calming effect on her."  
>Hikari's heart monitor showed a bit of a quickened pace that was slowing gradually, and Amane had a feeling it had been much higher. She now felt slight trembles in her arms and noticed Hikari trying to take deep breaths.<br>"Dr. Osamu, she already has breathing problems, should I-"  
>"I already sent for them."<br>_Speak of the devil-_ his words no sooner left his mouth than a team of nurses flooded the small spaced room, shoving Amane and the therapist out. They stood awkwardly next to each other in the hall.  
>"So... Um..."<br>"Yes, well... Overall, Hikari's trauma it's treatable. I would recommend though, when she's physically sound, that she spend a lot of time in the sun. She loves that horse of yours. Until then, I'm going to write a prescription of some mild depression and anxiety pills for her."  
><em>Jeez, is it law for this guy to talk in monotone redundancy?<em> Amane surprised herself- one, she never liked to judge people, two, she never used overly fancy words like that. It made her feel..._ Hmm... I guess like a smart ass?  
><em>"Well, arigato Doctor."  
>"My pleasure," and with that he simply turned away, and the door once more opened with nurses neatly filing out. One turned to nod her in, and promptly stepped aside. Amane returned to Hikari's side and gently put her arms around the small girl, who snuggled into the embrace.<br>"Hi there"  
>"Hello, sweetheart."<br>A brief glance and a chaste kiss passed between them. Hikari looked drowsy, and her eyes were drooping slightly. Amane chuckled, kissed her forehead, and combed her fingers through her hair. "Go to sleep little one. I'll stay right here."  
>Hikari turned to look up at her. She didn't want to argue- she was having a hard time staying awake. "Promise?"<br>"Promise," she said with a smile.  
>So, with a small squeeze, Hikari slid into a soft slumber, and to her surprise, Amane was quick to follow.<br>And once again the Prince and her princess fell asleep safe and assured in each other's arms.


	17. All or Nothing

**Little Angel ch. 17**

**Hola~ I'm sorry about the long updates, but school kicks my ass. Anywayzzz here's the next chapter…**

**BTW…**

**RATED M FOR A REASON XD *firsttimewritingerrrthis***

* * *

><p>It was Friday before the doctors allowed Hikari out of the hospital bill was already considerably far more than Amane had anticipated. Hikari was dead silent on the ride back- poor thing was probably in hell from the pain. Amane kept one hand on the wheel and one hand over her lover's hand until they got home. She wondered, as she was stroking her hand with her thumb, how she would come up with the money for the bill. Further, her rent. It was gunna have to be one or the other, and it just kept smacking her as a reminder to find a legitimate job. Of course she could have pinned this all to her mother-<br>Scratch that.  
>Amane was definitely the only one who could do this for Hikari for now. She helped the younger girl up the stairs to her apartment. Well, she thought, I guess it's our apartment now. She wasn't sure how long this would last- Hikari's injuries- but she hoped that coming home with Hikari there wouldn't end with it. Amane knew Hikari's now rare smiles were the best thing about her. Well no... Her voice was.<br>"Hey Amane?"  
>She looked up from whatever she was fixated on and to Hikari. "Mhm?"<br>"Um... I know we just got home and everything but..."  
>"But?..." Amane was worried. What was she hesitating for?<br>"Look, your water bill must be crazy, and I'm so sorry-"  
>Amane chuckled. "No, Hikari it's fine. You can take a shower if you'd like."<br>"But... I mean... The hospital bill... I know it had to be expensive..."  
>"Don't you worry about that sweetheart. I'll take care of it. While we're at it, are you sure you can take one on your own?" Amane continued. Then, realizing what she said, she would've paled and turned scarlet had Hikari not answered as soon as she did.<br>"No, I'll be okay. I've done it before worse off." She said it with a straight face and Amane decided to leave the matter alone. For both of their sakes. As Hikari left for their bathroom, Amane started going back in forth in her mind about where she could possibly find work that a) wouldn't interfere too much with her responsibilities of both Star Bright and Hikari, and b) wouldn't have fan girls trailing and pestering her all day, which would surely get her fired. Immediately.  
><em>What about the stables? I'm sure the manager could use a stable hand, and the only people who ever came were other racers or the unimaginably rich persons who refused to actually go inside to SEE their horse, because the stable was so dirty.<em> The bluenette tried not to roll her eyes at the thought, but it really did bug her. _Why would anyone have a horse if their just going to make someone else take care of it? It'll never make sense to me. Even their kids probably go near them. My kids-  
><em>She stopped. Again, children came across her mind and she wondered about what she really wanted now that she had Hikari. _But this is ridiculous, no one thinks about family like that a week into a relationship.  
><em>Then a second thought struck- _Holy damn, this has only been a week?!  
><em>Bewildered, Amane plopped onto the couch and contemplated the... Change in her life.  
><em>No. Change? More like a complete 180 flip. What's Hikari become to me? What's she made of me?<br>_There was warmth in her thoughts, a longing to prove herself. She hoped Hikari knew then, the extent of what Amane would do for her lover.

As the Rider sat waiting for Hikari to return, she found herself thinking back to a job at the stables, hoping that it would work, and it would be enough. She was so consumed, she didn't notice Hikari, still in her towel, staring at her until she heard her sigh.  
>"Hikari? Sorry, I didn't hear you, how long have you been there? Do you need clothes?" <em>Oh shit, I should really do laundry. She could use more clothes. Oh f-<em>  
>"Arigato Amane, but I'm okay. I just... Wondered what my sempai was so deep in thought about?"<br>"Nothing really. Just, thinking about a job," Amane replied. "Well, um, a more stable job. That ah, well, has a more consistent paycheck."  
>She knew the stereotype was that she was crazy loaded, but Amane hadn't kept much more than she needed. She hadn't wanted the temptations of things she didn't need, and they were more needed elsewhere anyway. <em>Come a few more races though, I'll start saving a bit more. We'll need it...<br>_Hikari knew that to ask her why would have been beyond conceivably disrespectful. Yet, she still wondered about it, and hoped that it wasn't because of her that Amane felt the added responsibility of having to do this for her. _Honestly, she's known me a bit over a week. This is insane! Not even in my wildest fantasies did I ever think Amane Ootori would be doing this for me... Shoot, I never believed she'd ever learn my name!  
><em>The two girls stared in silence, until goose bumps grew all over Hikari from the cold air on her damp skin. "Oh my, um-"  
>"Don't worry, I'll grab you something hun."<br>And so they retreated to the one bedroom, Hikari walking a little slowly from her finally numbing pain, to find another pair of hopefully a not too huge shirt and pair of shorts for her. Amane kept to face the window and looked out of the blinds as Hikari got dressed. When she turned around, the poor sweetie looked... Adorable, yes, but frankly shabbily dressed. Amane didn't see it as such- still a beautiful young woman in her eyes, but to Hikari, although so grateful and bewildered to be in Amane's clothes, felt embarrassed to look so homely in front of her.  
>That went away quickly with a kiss.<p>

"So, tuna, hot sauce and... What is it? Mayonnaise?"  
>"Hai, I know it sounds gross, but it was the only good thing I remember... Um..."<br>"I understand Hikari. Still, if you'd like, I'll make it one night instead of... Well this," the bluenette waved her hand, chuckling at the massive take out order from a Thai place. Amane came down with the munchies at about five thirty when she came back from the stables as Hikari took a nap. Or so she thought; really, the young blonde was up sitting and singing words that just flowed from her thoughts. Sometimes it was random songs- others were ones she'd written long before. She then tried to create one for Amane, but even the thought of it brought a furious flush to her cheeks.  
>"Any weird food you've ever tried sempai?"<br>"Yeah, pizza with pineapple and skittles."  
>Hikari's eyes got wide. "Whoa, what?"<br>And so Amane explained how, when she was still in her house, that the place she'd occasionally ordered pizza from caught on that they were delivering to a celebrity.  
>"So, some guy it turned out had this huge thing about wanting to meet me, and he heard a rumor that I liked skittles or something. So, a couple times I got my pineapple pizza with this number on it and no name. I eventually called the place and asked to meet the guy who made the pizza- at the parlor of course- and the poor boy was shaking. He thought I was going to have him fired, but really I just thanked him for the awesome pizzas. It actually tasted pretty good... Most nights." Hikari covered her mouth as she giggled, trying not to choke on a piece of chicken.<br>After dinner, and everything was cleared away, Amane went through her surprisingly expansive DVD collection. Surprisingly, as in "holy cow, this girl has everything from rocky horror to Bruce lee flicks to just about every action film ever produced." They settled on Jackie Chan's Dragons Forever, subtitled edition, and snuggled together awkwardly on the couch. They realized this is the first time they'd been wide awake and this close. However, as the minutes passed by, Hikari found herself easing into Amane's arms. The older girl had one arm wrapped around her middle, the other stroking through her beautiful blonde hair. Her scent completely filled Amane, and she quickly stopped paying attention to the movie.  
>On the other hand, Hikari couldn't have been more enticed! She watched eagerly as Chan and the others swung from side to side at each other. She'd never watched anything before like it, and nothing could distract her.<br>Until she felt Amane's breath on her neck.  
>She didn't realize just how good it felt until it happened again. Then again. As if unconsciously, she turned slightly into Amane and traced her fingers along the strong arm around her waist. She admired then how soft Amane's body actually was, despite her incredibly toned... <em>Athletic... Tall... Tan...<em>  
>Anyway, now that she felt her face furiously flushed, it made Hikari think about what Amane's heart beat was like. Nervous as all hell, she talked herself into turning all the way chest to chest with her lover, resting her head just below her neck. The young, scared girl anxiously wrapped her arm behind Amane's neck, totally catching her by surprise. For a while, neither of them had the courage to move even an inch. Hikari could tell- she could hear Amane's heart beat just as hard and fast as hers. The closeness between them radiated in a slightly familiar heat, and they realized that this was how and where they first had their deep make out session. Amane gulped, and Hikari got goose bumps again, but a different kind.<br>When the need to do _something _got too high, Hikari cautiously looked up to Amane. The bluenette looked down, and was so nervous all she could do was smile awkwardly and blush like hell. The younger girl looked away, feeling embarrassed, and Amane felt like an idiot. Her fingers combed through her hair again, hoping to get her to look up again. Hikari couldn't bring herself to do it. What if Amane rejected her? Or she did something wrong? She resorted to tracing her finger idly in circles on her Rider's side, then, after sometime, kissed her collarbone. She felt Amane kiss the top of her head in return. The movie played in the background, forgotten, as they both worked up their courage to try to make any kind of move. Hikari wanted to so badly, and completely unaware that she had that same affect on Amane that her lover had in her.  
>Hikari finally had her resolve, and wrapped her other arm behind Amane's neck, and gingerly kissed her throat. The Rider, so caught in surprise, nearly stopped breathing. She tried to exhale slowly, but it came out jagged and husky, and her hands found themselves instinctively at Hikari's hips. This didn't go unnoticed- feeling brave and the need to act quickly, she moved herself to be face to face with Amane, kissing her passionately, and soon their lips and tongues were dancing and swirling in and all around the other like licks of a wildfire. And as their lips got to moving, so did their hands.<br>And as their hands got to moving, so did their hips.  
>Red faced, hot as hell, and in uncharted territory, the couple felt each get more nervous with each stroke or kiss or push. But as young love goes, it really wasn't too much of a deterrent.<br>"H-Hikari?" She responded with a quick nod, but Amane lost her words for a moment. Could she really suggest anything like that to Hikari? Honestly, she felt too worked up to back down, and she was keeping her waiting. "Uh... D-do you feel um... H-hot at all?"  
><em><strong>Oh my god, that was so stupid.<br>**_"Hot? A-as in how?"  
><em>Fuck.<em> Not wanting to say anything else stupid again, Amane motioned her hands from Hikari's hips to under her shirt. Hikari paled immediately, but was instantly covered back to a full body red. She moved to try taking it off, even though she wasn't exactly thrilled with Amane seeing her without a shirt. However, it was Amane who took hers off instead, Beckham-style. "Iie, Hikari..."  
>She knew Hikari wouldn't want to, so she thought if she introduced it, maybe it would make things more comfortable.<br>But comfort was far from Hikari's mind. The younger girl couldn't help but to stare... Almost memorize every line and plane, even the shape of her bra around...  
><em>God, I shouldn't be thinking like this! It's so disrespectful to her as my sempai!<br>... But... God... She's so smooth... And...  
><em>Amane watched Hikari ogle her, not knowing what to feel. She thought Hikari's cheeks were going to turn purple. Her small hand reached out tentatively and ran softly, barely, along the smooth abs carved from years of intense training. She was... Far healthier than any horse, pardon the expression. Those small fingers felt like running flames tasting Amane's skin, and she bit her lip to keep from gasping. She pulled herself up to Hikari and grabbed the blonde into a deep kiss, tearing her out of her preoccupation with the Rider's immaculate torso. Hikari now straddled her girlfriend comfortably, still running her hands along the soft, toned skin. Amane tried to keep her distracted with a quickly skilled tongue to guide her shaking hands to her back just under her bra strap. Her lover got her point, but was so nervous, she kept missing.  
>"Gomen n-nasai, Amane, I'm j-j-" she kept stuttering and almost started crying until Amane kissed her again.<br>"Shhh, it's okay my love." Once more, soothing Hikari with her voice and her lips, she now guided her fingers to the clasps and helped her undo them, but in turn was nervous to let it slide down off her arms. Was she really okay with showing this much of herself?  
>And again, in hopes to distract Hikari, the bluenette moved her lips down to her neck, right where her faded hickey was, and started to revive it. The black bra slid dutifully off her arms and was carefully pushed to the floor. Hikari had started to softly mewl at Amane's bites and licks, which turned to moans as the Rider pushed her gently onto her back and sucked the sweet skin a little harder. Hikari's hips bucked involuntarily, still so raw and new to the feelings of Amane's skillful lips marking the blonde as her own. Soon, their hips pushed quicker and quicker against each other, panting each at their own pace; Hikari as high and quick, Amane, low and husky. Amane's body heat radiated twice as much now that she was completely topless, so much Hikari felt she was nearly melting inside her own. She was still way to nervous to join her, her tiny body nothing like Amane's. Still... She wondered how it would feel. She felt a strange aching in her gut- actually, it was more like a burning, and this time she pretty well knew what it was, just she had no idea how to take care of it.<br>It didn't help that Amane had now moved her lips to Hikari's collarbone, and her strong hands wandered around the blonde's small body, sending racks of static through her body. Small moans escaped her, no matter how much she tried holding them in. The feel of Amane's hips pushing hard against hers, her free chest rubbing freely over her_... Oh God... I want more... What's going on with us? It's so... Who-whoaa-ahhh!  
><em>Amane's fingers slid up under the edges of her shirt and dragged now against her skin. Hikari gasped as they clipped the edge of her pants, and she immediately got intensely nervous. The fingers slid right up to her chest, and she had to bite her lip to keep from making any noises. Her thoughts were a million miles a minute. She prayed Amane would take the lead and go farther, deeper than anything she could have ever dreamed of.  
>Amane looked up after leaving yet another good sized mark on her collarbone, her fingers itching like it was an addiction to go farther. "Hikari... Do you trust me?"<br>"With anything," she answered breathily.  
>The Rider nodded and reached around her back to unclip the thin fabric between her shirt and skin. Amane reached back and, almost like one would approach a gun you weren't sure was loaded, she grazed around the edges of Hikari's chest. The girls' eyes shot open; Hikari... Oh god, she was aching for it as bad as she about to scream stop. She was scared about it feeling so good, because she wasn't sure how her body would react.<br>Amane... Damn, was she nervous. Never had she ever imagined herself in this situation, touching a girl like... Well, how she wanted to now touch Hikari.  
><em>If I do... But if I don't... But we're already here... And she feels so warm... And soft... And...<br>_Those flame-like fingers circled nervously around Hikari's b-cup, then after much debate, slide a little more inward. Then a little more... Then a little more. The fire turned to electric and Hikari's body shook softly at first, but quickly grew into raging tremors as she bucked her hips into Amane every time even a fingernail tread just a little too close to her small, growing buds. Her fingers sunk hard onto the Rider's bare back, and her moans became louder and higher pitched.  
>"A-Amane, i-it's s-ahh!"<br>I wonder how she'd sound if her pants... No, not yet...  
>She only had a small passing thought about her neighbors possibly hearing them, but she didn't honestly care too much. She focused more on how what touch gave what reaction; soon she let her fingertips flick back and forth quickly over Hikari's hardened buds, listening as her breath got caught in fast, half-choked moans and cries, and the near violent gyrating of her body crashing up into Amane. Could this get any better?<br>Soon, the pair then intensely felt Amane's zipper and button pressing onto them both and realized... _Dear god, there is so much more to explore_. Amane wasn't sure she was ready for it, but temptation was getting harder. She felt her own chest feel differently, and she had a feeling they were very much like Hikari's. Hoping she wouldn't be stopped, Amane paused only to reach back down Hikari's stomach and start inching her shirt off. Once the blonde realized what was going on, she was eager for it to be off, but to nervous to help. Never the less, it and her bra soon ended up on the floor next to Amane's, and the younger girl immediately trembled from the cold air violating her extremely sensitive breasts. Amane took one back into her hand, flicking the hardened nub the way she was before, but now covered the other with her lips. The sensation was so much different from when Amane kissed her- her lips almost seemed warmer now. The bluenette's tongue nervously slid out to the pink circle and wrapped itself around Hikari's nipple. The heat, the wet, the overall high from ecstasy was starting to be wayyyyy to much for Hikari to handle. "Amane! Oh God, A-amane-sempaaiiii!"  
>It normally would have bothered Amane that she called her sempai, but it was the way it came out her lips, her sweet pink lips, that really turned her on even more. She slowly sucked on Hikari's breast like she had her neck, but her reaction was even more intense.<br>"A-aahh! A-amane! Wha-aahhh!" Her small body twitched and bucked every time Amane stroked her tongue across the skin or pulled it a little harder into her mouth. Her hands dragged fingernails hard against Amane's flat stomach, etching red hot lines into them. She felt the heat between her legs getting unbearable and-  
>"Amane! N-nyaaaa!" Her slim legs wrapped hard around Amane's middle and pulled her into her hard. Her body was starting to hurt though, but she tried desperately to push away the pain. Please God, don't let this end!<br>Amane was ready for more- already reaching to take the blonde's shorts off. When Hikari wrapped her legs around her, her hand had accidentally slipped past Hikari's shorts on her thigh and into their inside. Her hand was ice cold against the younger girl's skin. Amane has a little apprehensive to move her fingers; she was temporarily immobilized.  
>"A-amane~ p-plea-ahh... If y-you want t-to," came Hikari's choking, squeaking voice. She was trying desperately not to cry out. Anticipation was killing her, and she'd never known need like Right Now. Amane finally trusted herself to move her fingers over the soft fabric barely separating their skin, finding it soaked. Once more she was completely lost as to where to go from here, but instinct led her to massage the shaking, wet mound beneath her like she had Hikari's chest.<br>The reaction was no where near the same. Hikari's voice turned into long, needy moans. Her eyes were tightly shut, and her hand gripped a full piece of Amane's hair and pulled on it. Tears started falling down her cheeks when Amane started moving faster. When Amane finally flicked across her sweet spot, Hikari's moans filled the entire apartment. The Rider moved the fabric away and stroked her quickly, and Hikari's back arched, with her head falling back into the couch. The room began to spin the faster Amane went, and as her body quivered more and more, she felt a sense of something coming. Nothing coherent past her lips, just shaky, loud moans echoing of the walls, and they caressed Amane's ears, begging so desperately for more.  
>"A-ahhhh! Oh A-maa-nee, I-I ahhnnn- I n-nee-nyaaa!"<br>Hikari felt her climax wash over her and come around again. Her hands felt permanently clenched into fists and her body felt limp but hyper sensitive at the same time. Her breathe was ragged, a soft moan still escaping every now and again. She hadn't even felt her legs fall to the couch, she'd been so captivated. Amane had felt amazing against her. If she wasn't so suddenly tired... Well, her imagination was titillating, sparking many, many fantasies for the night. She opened her eyes and stared lovingly at Amane, at a complete loss for words.  
>She untangled her hand from the dark blue hair and caressed her Rider's cheek. "I love you, Amane."<br>"I love you too," came Amane's soft spoken, happy reply. She kissed the small girl slowly, still wanting much more out of this night.  
>"So... I guess we aren't exactly following doctor's order's, huh?" Hikari said, blushing, as her back and chest started to hurt a bit.<br>Amane was all freaked out now- "What? Oh shit, Hikari, are you-"  
>Hikari kissed her quickly, not parting until Amane's frantic, muffled voice stopped.<br>"Amane sempai, I'm okay... This was fantastic."  
>"Really? I didn't hurt you at all or do something wrong?"<br>Hikari traced her fingers along Amane's jaw line, "No love, I'm okay. Um... Can you... Would you mind helping me to bed?"  
>The Rider nodded, and stood up, where Hikari admired further her handsomely shaped half-naked form. In her strong arms, Hikari felt herself be lifted up and carried in the dark to Amane's bedroom, and her thoughts ran back to those deeper desires. She wished she wasn't so tired, but there were so many reasons and factors she wasn't surprised and knew she wouldn't be able to fight it.<br>As she was lowered softly onto the sheets, she felt Amane climb in with her, the warm skin cuddled up behind her. Hikari blushed, and turned to face her lover, ending up half on top of her like they had been on the couch. She had her arms around her neck, Amane with one arm around her middle, the other behind her head, and soft smiles on their lips. This was like heaven for them, and neither question what they'd done. For Amane, it was love, and love will take you where it pleases. For Hikari, it was the spur of the heart, calling to fulfill their needs and souls.  
>Falling asleep was easy; and their dreams were the most beautiful they'd ever yet experienced.<p>

Two birds fluttered and quieted out in the tree outside the apartment. Instinct aside, their was a love in their song that night.

**Translations~**

**Hai- yeah**

**Iie- no**

**Gomen nasai- I'm sorry**

**Teehee, hope you liked enough to wait for the next chapter~ x3**


	18. New Shit, Same People

**Little Angel ch.18**

**Wow, talk about some late deadlines , Sorry, it's really short, but I think there's a lot going on in this chapter. Love ya!**

Amane was first to awaken the next morning, and upon gazing over Hikari, who was still wrapped up in her arms, she instantly remembered their adventure from the night before.  
>My God... When it comes down to it, Hikari looks like an angel even half naked. There's not a girl in the world I'd rather wake up to in the morning. Amane sighed happily, and stroked Hikari's soft, pale cheek slowly. She allowed her fingers to caress her face- although very carefully- and her neck, then to study the contours of her collar and shoulders and sides. Her curves were majestic to Amane, striking her in the way she'd watch Star Bright neigh and rear up into the sky, demonstrating his intensely handsome build. Hikari was just as striking, and she took Amane breath away just thinking about the closeness that now barely set them apart. She was holding in her arms this glamorous figure, protecting it, and it suddenly seemed surreal. For all the warmth in her heart, she didn't know limits for Hikari, the angel that could have the world. She was beautiful and shy, wildly intelligent from what Amane could tell, yet so unaware of certain... <em>Things.<em> Amane was still nervous to think that she'd been intimate last night; that she had taken her innocence, because it meant that it could change Hikari and their relationship.  
>Well... Had she taken her innocence?<br>It was flipping her mind as much as her stomach. Her Hikari... She put any doubt aside though. _Honestly, last night could only prove that I really do love her, and she me; that we trust each other enough to let our bodies touch the way they did. Even... Even with... What happened last week, she still let me in and gave me something no one else had._  
>Suddenly Amane felt like she was being over dramatic. She blushed at herself, thinking of the silliness she probably seemed like right then. But then she felt Hikari stir, and a smile plastered her face. When the blonde rubbed her eyes and looked up with half-asleep eyes, Amane smiled wider and her own brown eyes shined.<br>"Good morning love."  
>"Good morning Amane," the younger replied, snuggling in tightly to Amane's chest. A soft, happy noise came from her, and her legs curled up. One wrapped itself around Amane. In turn, the bluenette traced her fingers down along Hikari's bare skin, feeling the warmth emanate from her. They stayed cuddled like that for maybe only ten minutes before Amane heard her phone ringing. Groaning and rolling her eyes, she got up, kissed Hikari sweetly on the forehead, then left to go talk to whatever asshole it was that was calling to ruin her morning.<p>

Hikari sat waiting for her Prince to return, knowing she was on the phone with who it sounded like was the stable manager. She got up to go listen from the door. Amane was talking in a hushed tone, so the blonde decided it must be some private deal thing. She hoped Amane was okay; after last night however, Hikari felt like nothing could go wrong again.  
><em>I never could've imagined sempai... Being so... Wow... I can't even explain it! This exoticness would have Hikari bewildered for days. Or maybe... Just until... We do it again...<em>  
>Just then, a sharp pain in her gut shot up and from head to toe, driving her motionless and breathless onto her knees. A small cry was all it took and immediately Amane was back in the room, her phone apparently not important anymore.<br>"What happened? Did you fall?!" Amane asked in frenzy.  
>"N-no, it just happened... I don't know why."<br>Amane looked at her worriedly. "Hikari, this is serious, what can I do?"  
>Hikari blushed, for small tears were forming at her eyes. "It's nothing that serious, you know. Just a bit of jelly knees…"<p>

"Hikari…"

"No, sempai, you've already done so much. Taking me in was itself unbelievable. You know-"  
>"Hikari, wait," Amane interrupted. She knew she meant all of this, this whole thing, but the bluenette wasn't going to let her get into a spiral. "I'm sorry, I know this is rude, but I did this out of love, not a duty. When I 'took you in', it was because I couldn't let you go anywhere else and not worry about you every second of the day. As it is... If I take a job at the stables... I just don't want you to get hurt anymore, okay?"<br>_Wait, huh? A job at the stables_? "When did you..."  
>"Just a minute ago. But I can't in good conscience leave you for a minute. Not when you could just collapse in pain like this," Amane paused, choosing her words carefully. Now she was finding herself in the spiral. "I know that sounds... Over protective... But, Hikari... Every tear in your eye is another tear at my heart. If you couldn't move... If your chest hurt too much to breathe... How could I let that happen? It's my fault this happened, I'll be damned to let you suffer further for it!"<br>She was more yelling at herself than trying to prove her point, but Hikari saw now exactly every tear she'd caused Amane. Her shaking body mirrored Hikari's. Her red eyes matched hers, her bitten lip, her trembling hands, and her scared look. "I can't lose you Hikari. You're the only girl I've ever had that makes my heart beat the way it does. If yours stopped, so would mine."  
>"Amane... I won't die. I mean, it's just some... Bad chest pain," Hikari tried to reassure her, but her frail voice and long pauses spoke otherwise. She knew at worst she would be pretty weak, although when Jack was having his filthy way, she sure felt like she was going to die. The pain reminded her of it, but...<br>"Amane, when you hold me, when I'm in your arms, I've never felt safer. Or as alive. And, if you do go to work at the stables, I'm more than happy to come too. I know I'll be okay with you there, and honestly, being alone all day would drive me nuts anyway. Please Amane sempai, don't worry about it."  
>To prove herself, and to prove she would be okay, she- nervously- took Amane's larger hands into her own and slowly moved into her lap, motioning for her arms to wrap around her. Her cheeks a soft pink, she laid a quick kiss on Amane's lips and snuggled her head onto the bluenette's shoulders.<br>"Don't worry... I've already become a stronger person for having you Amane."  
>"As you have made me, Hikari dear."<p>

Amane started work that next Monday. The remainder of their weekend consisted of grocery shopping, finding clothes for Hikari that fit, and trying to work out how the bills would get paid. Hikari had already decided that she, too, would look for work at the stable. If none was available there, she would beg Amane to please, stop worrying, and let her go into the city to look into part time, and yes, that she would call if something happened.  
>They were beyond nervous upon reaching the stable. They hadn't told the manager Hikari would be coming as well, and his questionable look when they pulled up in the truck didn't soothe them at all.<br>"As far as I recall, I only hired one of you." He stared at Hikari, noticing her slower pace. "A pretty face like yours doesn't belong working a stable anyway. Amane, care to explain?"  
>"Uh... Um... We wanted to know if, well..."<br>"I believed in more the merrier? To a point. A small point that's easy to cross. Hiring you is one thing, but two assistants cuts down profits way too much. This place, if it wasn't for those rich idiots, would barely make enough for maintenance."  
>"Sir, I-"<br>"Please honey, call me Shouta."  
>"Shouta sensei, I could take a part time job here, or half of what Amane makes," she pleaded.<br>"Now, Hikari was it? I've got two problems with that. The first is, I'm pretty sure Amane's got enough back bone in her to do everything I could ask her to do in half the time it would take myself to do it. The second is, I can't give you half, 'cause your blue haired friend isn't making much more than minimum wage anyway. Look honey, you seem a sweet, young thing. Go to the city and find work, your pretty face will get you anywhere.  
><em>She has more than a 'pretty face', you know<em>. Amane was turning a little red from frustration, watching her employer look over Hikari like a meat stick, and completely ignoring what over qualities she might have.  
>"Regardless, I couldn't think to make her stay home alone all day, so-"<br>"What is this, the fourteenth century? 'Make her stay home'? Amane, I'm surprised."  
>"No! That's not what I meant!" She grew angrier with him, chuckling and winking at her like that.<br>"Hehe. Sure thing. Anyhow, I'd rather her not get caught up in your work, so I'll let her stay in my office. First thing I want you to do is let the horses out for their scheduled feeding. The things gotta breathe a little, you know?"  
>Amane hates being clearly dismissed the way she was, but not as much as she hated watching this guy she thought she knew spin on his heel, put his arm over her girlfriend's shoulders, and walk away with her, spouting aimlessly while Hikari looked back afraid and nervous. Amane's expression was hard, worried for her young charge. She could only trust she still knew enough of this guy to go work, and leave Hikari in his... 'Care'.<br>Good god, this world is getting more unrecognizable by the day. _Star Bright, please cheer me up. And don't be too mad at me.  
>***<em>


	19. Let Love Bleed Red

**Little Angel Ch. 19**

**Wow, so another long overdue update. I can't believe this month would make it a year old, I believe? Time flies. Maybe I should go for another if I can remember to update quicker XD Sadly, I still don't own Strawberry Panic!, or there would be another season under way xD And dubs... lots of dubs xD**

**So, Amane's job at the stables is starting, and not so well off. Hikari's trying to look for work herself, but is nervous about it given the experiences she has. Plus… the fear of Jack. Will he come back?**

**R&R Por favor!**

"Hey, I said I was SORRY! Jesus Star Bright, I've been busy!"  
>Amane wrestled to keep her fiery horse down, finally being groomed the way his snooty, pampered horse-ass liked. "Y'know, every one thinks you're some majestic steed, but really you're like a little pony still."<br>Star Bright waved his mane and huffed, like he was too good to be insulted. Despite herself, Amane had to laugh. She knew it was partly his personality that made him so likeable. It was his attitude when he missed her that was a bit unappealing.  
>"I'm sorry, old friend. You can tell things have been crazy though, can't you?" Amane spoke disheartened to her stallion, who seemed to nod in response. She loved that understanding between them, and got an idea. "Y'know... If you wanna help, Hikari really seems to like you."<br>Putting a name to a face instantly, Star Bright was up on his hind quarters again in excitement.  
>"Easy boy! After work, I'll get her out here. And don't get stupid now, I'm riding too."<br>He whined again, but nuzzled her owner's head.  
>It was good to know you were loved.<p>

Hikari sat idly in the manager's office while we went to get water from his kitchen. If she didn't know better, she'd believe the last tortuous hours of him talking incessantly were an attempt to flirt with the young girl.  
><em>Icky... He's... No way. Stop being stupid. Still though, I wish he'd stop touching me so much. The continuous hand-on-shoulder-pats and holding-arm-like-it'll-fall-off was getting kinda weird. I wonder how long until Amane gets off...<em>  
>"How old are you, Hikari?"<br>Something told her to lie. "Eighteen, just... Short."  
>"Ahh, okay. Y'know, it worried me, I thought Amane was carrying around some minor. That'd be some nasty shit for her career, ya know?"<br>He winked- again- but it gave Hikari a sinking feeling. _Yeah, a year or two wasn't terrible... But for someone like Amane, it was grounds for a scandal. God... One more thing... Amane puts up with so much already. I can't imagine... How much resolve she must have. I'm not worth it.  
><em>She sighed, barely audibly and looked out the window as Shouta took another phone call. The skies were starting to darken, and she found herself staring into the gray clouds.  
>It took her back to the day they met...<p>

***  
><em>Finally!<em>  
>Amane had rounded the horses back into their stables, and all of them fed and calm for the night- except Star Bright of course.<br>"Alright, I know, I promised. I'll go get Hikari."  
>She walked out briskly, noticing the darkening skies. Reaching the manager's office, she noticed the door had been left not only unlocked, but open. Strange...<br>"Hey, Hikari? I just finished up. You there?"  
>A few moments passed by before she heard, "Yeah, I'm in the back!"<br>The Rider navigated through the half messy building, but the manager seemed absent. She turned the corner to what was assumably a kitchen, finding it had been recently used. There, she heard small footsteps, and before her was Hikari, shining as ever.  
>"Hello senpai!" She smiled brilliantly. "Are you done already?"<br>"Yeah, where's Shouta?"  
>"I don't actually know. He was here, then he was on the phone, and then he just kind of... Disappeared?"<br>Weird as it was, Amane just shrugged. _But to be in such a hurry to leave the door open, so anyone could walk in?  
><em>Dismissing the oddity, she took Hikari into her arms and kissed her. "I missed you."  
>"I missed you too senpai!"<br>"Wanna know who misses more than I do?" Amane asked, enjoying the confused look on Hikari's face.  
>"Who?"<br>The Rider laughed, and walked with her back outside. "A certain stallion, who if you care to look, left a bruise in the shape of his hoof on my stomach this morning."  
>Hikari was excited, replying, "Star Bright?! Oh, I miss him so much! Wait, he did what?"<br>Amane laughed again and showed her, in all its black and blue glory. In worry, Hikari began to fret, but Amane kissed her quickly, putting it all away.  
>"I promised him you'd come see him after I finished up here. He likes you more than he does me, I swear..."<br>Hikari giggled, blushing as she looked at her feet. Amane put her arm over the blonde's shoulders as they walked, pulling her closer. Getting back into the stables, they were hit with nostalgia of their first time inside. How they were so close, and so very nervous to be around each other. How they almost kissed but Shouta walked in.  
>"So... Star Bright?" Amane called nervously for the horse, who whined in response. The rider smiled. "Let's get going."<p>

The slammed down the old path that the Rider and her horse were so accustomed too- though this time, they didn't expect any intrusions. Hikari giggled and squealed and brimmed with excitement. Amane never loosened her hold on the girl, for this tine she sat in front of Amane, taking in all of scenery that flew by them. Every turn, every jump, every cry and kick from Amane jolted the younger girl in an exhilarating way. It felt like she could fly at this speed. With Amane behind her, she probably was.  
>"Amane, this... This is beautiful!"<br>As they passed another roundabout, into view came the setting sun over the small gazebo. Tears came to the girl's eyes, looking out at it again.  
><em>Here is where I might her and my life became good again... Amane sempai... My Prince Charming...<br>_To their opposite side was a small lake, and the now almost purple sky shimmered angelically into the water. The birds all began to call their mates home, the wild game came to life the closer dusk fell, and more elegantly Star Bright became, trotting now back to the stables. They led him back in, the brilliant stallion actually having fallen tired.  
>"Poor boy's probably exhausted by now. I don't think we've run that in a while... You're lucky though, we took every turn we know." Amane winked, and Hikari cued her blush. She felt all the more special for the privileges Amane gave to her. Who else could say that the love of their life was so wholesome and exciting? It made Hikari's world to know that Amane treated her this way. If every day would be like this one...<p>

"You're getting better as a chef, you know?"  
>Amane scratched her head and looked down. "Eh... I guess. Do you like it?"<br>"Hai! There's not too much soy on it this time." Hikari smiled, and giggled at her sempai's pink cheeks. The last time she prepared tuna and rice, she drenched it in soy sauce like an American.  
>"Heh. Careful. Or one night I'll have to make Mexican somehow."<br>Hikari giggled. She wasn't going to let Amane know she loved the Spicy "southwestern" food. "If you must."  
>They sat together and ate on the couch, sipping at their tea occasionally. When they finished, Amane cleared her table and they snuggled once more on the couch, watching a comedy on some family channel. The humor was overly cheesy, but it worked for them at the moment. At closer to eleven, Amane changed it to another Jackie Chan rerun. <em>Now this is more my speed,<em> she smirked. Quite some time in, Hikari perked up.

"Hey, Amane?"

Startled, she answered," H-hai, Hikari?"

"Um… Can I see that bruise?" The older girl laughed, and nodded. Hikari gasped loudly. "Oh my God! Amane-sempai! It's so dark and big!" Doesn't it hurt to be sitting like this?"

"Naw, the sting went away hours ago. It's better to hold you anyway," she said with a soft smile.

The younger girl blushed as could be expected, and Amane kissed her. The clock read 11:40. "Honey, it's getting late. Did you want to go to bed?"

"That sounds good…" she paused with a yawn, and Amane smiled again. She picked her up and began to walk off when Hikari giggled.

"Amane... Y'know, we haven't showered yet tonight." She sounded very quiet, very nervous, but still a little amused. Amane wondered what she could be getting at, but she honestly knew.  
>"Um... Did you want to take one right now?<br>"H-hai."  
>Amane couldn't bring herself to ask, in case she was wrong; Hikari was too embarrassed to ask for it. The older girl bit her lip and saw Hikari look up at her, a fiery red sprawled all across her soft cheeks. Her eyes wandered Amane's face to see if she understood. It wasn't long after Amane had gotten them into the bathroom and her young lover on the counter. In between passionate kisses, they attempted to undress each other, though their shyness still overtook them.<br>"Amane, I'm sorry I'm nervous, it's just... I mean... I'd be completely... Y'know... And... Umm..."  
>Amane took a breathe (mostly to calm her racing heart) and nodded. "I'm just as nervous as you actually," she scratched her head. "I... I mean, we'd be completely open to each other. I mean- like, in a diff... Well you know..."<br>Oh god, you idiot. Nice.  
>"Amane, I trust you with myself."<br>The Rider smiled and looked her lover in the eyes. "And I do you... Hikari... We don't have to, but, we want to. It's your decision, angel."  
>Hikari nodded, and left that as her answer. She reached to pull Amane back to her. As they kissed, Amane nervously worked the blonde's pants off, then her shirt. Hikari paused, looking anxious, and glanced down.<br>"Oh gosh..."  
>"Do you want to stop?"<br>"Amane, no, I'm just... Scared. I've never been naked in front of someone before... Except when it was against my wi... my will."  
>Amane felt herself break inside. "Hikari, we can save this for another night, when everything's okay."<br>"But... Sempai, I do want this. You make me feel like this is what I want to be doing, if that makes sense. I trust you, I'm just super nervous... I don't trust my body."  
>Amane frowned and slowly shook her head, but she had an idea. "Your body," she began, "is beautiful."<br>The Rider picked her up from the counter, and kissed her lips.  
>"These, these lips are beautiful."<br>She sent her lips down to her neck, then her collarbone.  
>"This here, this part is soft, like feathers."<br>Then she unhooked the small bra and let it slide off. She felt Hikari's body start to heat up when she kissed her shoulders.  
>"And these... bare so much, on such a young woman."<br>Amane now positioned herself to kiss the younger girl's heart, holding her hips.  
>"And this is the best of it. The thing that makes everything in life beautiful."<br>She got on her knees and tenderly kissed the fading, horrible bruises on her love's stomach.  
>"And these are my failures, which I promise to avenge, because you deserve it."<br>Tears welled in Hikari's eyes. She never felt so loved and cared for, or so nervous at that moment. Amane had lowered herself so her lips lay just barely off the waistband of her undergarments.  
>"This, I promise to respect, because it's your essence, and that alone makes it amazing."<br>She kissed her there, through the fabric, and made her way back up. "There's nothing to be afraid of Hikari. Your body doesn't have an imperfection anywhere about it."  
>"Amane..."<br>"Hai, Hikari?"  
>No answer could come. She was gasping for words; the tears getting bigger as her heart let her believe what Amane said. She wouldn't let what happened reflex her into pushing Amane away, not ever.<br>"I... All I can say... I love you Amane," she brought her slender arms tight around the Rider's neck, got on her tip toes, and kissed her tenderly. _So perfect and sweet. My Prince Charming is actually real.  
>And about to sweep me off my feet...<br>_Her eyes flung open, amazed at herself, however true.  
>"As I love you, Hikari," her lover responded<em>. My angel, she completes me. All my life I'd been missing something, and now I have her.<br>_Clothes seemed to just fall away, forgotten, and the water fell almost as hot and heavy as the pair. Backed against the wall, Hikari was jumpy from her nerves, shaky from the anticipation. Every kiss from Amane, every stroke of her hand, every bead of water to fall over them and slicken their skin was another jolt that seemed to pile on from the last. The Rider explored the younger girl more thoroughly right then than she had last night. Her fingers ached to be on her flesh, and they fed on her touch ravenously. Where there were bruises, she kissed then, where there were scars, she caressed them. Amane was determined to make sweet, beautiful love to Hikari. She got on her knees and kissed her soft stomach, looked up and asked, "Still trust me?"  
>"For as long as I love you Amane."<br>The Rider blushed, and the younger closed her eyes. Whatever Amane did she wanted it to be a surprise. She felt her lips go further and further down and her nerves spiked. Everything heated up quickly, and her legs quivered. Amane's lips dropped further still until she felt them across that place the Rider had beautifully rocked her body before. She felt a deep, warm breath against it, and she moaned involuntarily. Amane slid her tongue against it, and she lost it; whimpers and small cries tore from her, her trembling fingers ran through and pulled on Amane's hair. Her breath got shorter the faster she went, stopping occasionally when the shock ran through her. Her legs shook violently, and her knees slightly gave out. Amane held her straight as she continued, trying everything her mouth knew how to do. Hikari's moans and cries grew louder until they were well heard over the shower. Her sweet essence dripped from her, until her body couldn't handle the heated passion and it felt like it exploded and became complete at the same time. At her climax, Amane guided the blonde's body lower, and watched her beautiful face as it passed over.

She collapsed and her Rider was there to catch her. Amane laid her on the bed of the tub, and kissed her so passionately, so warm, they didn't notice the water starting to run cold.  
>They then laid there for a bit. They didn't move, they didn't blink, and they didn't even twitch under the colder-growing water raining from above them. They just laid there holding each other tightly, eye to eye, nose to nose. Amane reached down again for another beautiful kiss, before kicking the water off with the heel of her foot. The warmer water that surrounded them waved by as it drained down. The Rider scooped up her little lover and sat her back on the counter, kissing her all over as she dried her off. Hikari shivered occasionally, the cold air penetrating hard against her sensitive, vibrant skin. The couple embraced again, their lips locked, and they backed out awkwardly from the bathroom to Amane's room. Hikari was once again hoisted into the air and this time on the bed, where passions heated again.<br>They didn't last long- drained from the day and their "activities", Amane fell at Hikari's side, still holding her, still giving her butterfly kisses.  
>"I love you sempai," the little one whispered, snuggling her head into Amane's shoulder.<br>"As I love you, Hikari," the Rider whispered back, falling asleep as she said them.

_Shhhhhhcink!_  
>A blade slid slowly, sharply against its brother.<br>_Shhhhhhcink!_  
>They slid together again, the longer one sparking.<br>_Shhhhhhhhhhccciink!_  
>The dark room echoed the harsh clicks.<br>_Shhhhhhhhhhccciiiink!_

_Shhhhhhhhhhccciiiink!_

_**Shhhhhhhhhhccciiiink!**_

_**CRACK!**_

The wall split under the savage strength the blade hit it with. Not a moment later, the companion followed.  
>Sick laughter filled the room; venom crept within and out its walls. Bottles of dried out liquor lay in pieces around the floor, burned up papers and broken needles thrown carelessly onto cheap wooden flooring. The smashed out window cried with the hateful howls from the black room. It cradled vengeance; it nurtured the hate. It was raising a <strong>killer.<strong>


	20. School

Little Angel Ch. 20

Again, I'm soooo sorry for the long awaited update, but um, yes, here it is. I promise, it's not just a filler until I find a direction, because I promise I know what I'm doing XD Viola!

Days started to fall together for the girls- As Amane would work in the stables, Mr. Shouta would have Hikari stay in and talk about jobs and homes and such. From a man who originally made her extremely nervous and seemed very questionable, she grew to trust Shouta san. Despite some of the regular passes he would make at her, those which he never did in front of Amane.

Amane's work got easier with repetition. It bothered her that only a few times people had come to ride their horses, and only one of them, a young woman who looked to be in college, came back. The cleaning could be either the easiest or the hardest. It truly depended on how much a horse liked her, but by the end of the month, most of them got to be pretty easy around her. There was a chestnut and a mix breed that still didn't trust her, and an almost all white horse that looked like Star Bright except for a dash of black down it's nose. This one- whose name was Avian- belonged to the woman who visited more often. Amane wondered why she would name the horse after flight, but she never had a chance to watch her ride him. The girl seemed very intimidated by the Rider, knowing instantly who she was. After all, everyone in the riding community did.

So Amane would wait to do them last, but before Star Bright. He was just naturally good about being cleaned and fed and taken out. If there was anything though he had gotten from his parents though, it was his wild side- she couldn't turn her back on him for five minutes when he's out without him jumping over the fence. It was then that the Rider would kick herself and laugh for teaching him so well. No wonder our parents don't tell us everything. We would just use it to drive them nuts!

One afternoon when he jumped out, he ran past the manager's building while Hikari was looking out of a window. Shouta was on the phone with the bank about something, so he couldn't hear her giggles as she would see first Star Bright run past the window and out of view, then moments later, Amane. She watched this go on back and forth for about fifteen minutes before Star Bright galloped by yet again, but a haggard, tired Amane jogging hopelessly behind. And all the while the other horses were getting wild back inside the fence! She laughed so hard she nearly fell out of her chair, but she couldn't bring herself to tell Amane about it. Her Rider was probably as exhausted as she had been embarrassed.

_Senpai… So adorable!_

The nights alone were quiet, and simple. They would kiss and cuddle, but action less in... Areas, but they were worn out by the end of the day anyway. The day came for school to start up again, and Hikari became immensely unsure of herself. She had skipped a grade, and this year would be her last. The best part of it would be graduating with Yaya-chan, but... the worst would be trying to deal with the "so what happened this summer Hikari" questions. What could she say to them? Oh, well I started dating this incredible girl that saved me from hell and now I'm living with her. All of that happened in about a week by the way. Every bit if that sounded just as ludicrous as if she'd heard it from someone else. She asked Amane, but she didn't really know herself.

"Hikari, I tried not to talk to a lot of people in school. I was too awkward," she hung her head, a little embarrassed. "So... I don't know... People never asked me those things, except Kaname. And... well..." Hikari embraced her, and they stood confused but warm. Amane began to rub her lover's back, realizing that they still had a very long road ahead of them. She placed her lips on Hikari's head, letting them linger, and filling her body with her scent. Her flesh felt tired, but her bones were wide-awake with Hikari. She could stay awake, without food or water for days, if she had Hikari. And, if that were what she needed right now, a strong, stable guardian that would never rest from protecting her, then that would be her job. At that moment Hikari shivered.

"Are you cold, sweetheart?"

"No sempai... you're hand ran along my back the way you d-do when, ah... um..."

"Oh! Hikari, no! I wasn't- I mean, I was just thinking, it must've happened absentmindedly. Not that, it was on my mind... ugh, gomen nasai, Hikari, I'll just stop talking," the poor bluenette rambled on, hanging her head. Her lover giggled in response.

"No Amane, it's alright." A slight blush had filled her own cheeks. It had been a while since Amane had made moves like that, and it slightly excited the young blonde that she did it without thinking.

"Amane? You know, when you're out in the stables, I miss you all day. Shouta is good company, but I wish I could be out there with you." The Rider nodded her head.

"I know what you mean Hikari... it's like you're maybe a hundred feet away, but I can't see you. I'm happy that at least I get to take you home at night."

"Where would I go without you Amane?"

"Jack, you ain't been to work in weeks. Who the fuck you think you are callin' me like this?!"

"Look, I told you-"

"Ain't NO kinda trouble you coulda been in that you couldn't even call damnit! I SWEAR boy, one more comment, you can forget that last paycheck tomorrow. To think I was starting to like you to!"

The phone clicked. In a haggard motion, a dirty, unkempt figure rose, retrieving his knives from the table.

"I don't need a job, asshole. I need to know that no one knows. Yet... how I'm going to get back at that damn slut for losing my home..."

His thoughts rambled useless in his head, still half inebriated.

"My home..."

"My damn home..."

"THAT WAS MY FUCKING HOUSE! THEY WERE MINE! MINE TO DO AS I. DAMN. WELL. PLEASED!"

Jack tore at the table with his knives. Not like it mattered. Tomorrow would have to be the day he started moving. To get his house back, his dominion, his territory, then fly back to America and be done with "these damned Japanese freaks."

My life... will not end here!

"Amane sempai!"

"Shhh! I don't wanna attract attention. It'll be impossible to get out of-"

"IT'S AMANE OOTORI! AAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!"

The couple looked at each other for but a moment, then automatically fled inside the truck, Amane getting it revved the minute she opened the door. They flew out of the parking lot and began to slow down hitting the main road, their breath catching up to them.

"So love, how was school?"

At home, Hikari apologized again for ignoring Amane in the car. It wasn't that she was mad, hell no! She was happy that nobody asked any questions today. Like life had continued exactly as it had when school ended a few months before. She was overjoyed to see Amane (who was still confused, and thought she was mad) but she knew that tomorrow the place would be one large buzz of what they'd seen that afternoon. Hikari was glad she hadn't run up and kissed her before someone noticed. She ignored the texts from Yaya and Tsubomi, which kept pouring in. The small girl wanted her attention all to Amane.

"Amane, I wasn't mad, not at all, I promise... I was just deep in thought, and... I..."

She faltered, knowing it was stupid to be like this. It would be fine. Right?

"Hikari... you promise you're not mad?"

"Yes, Amane, I swear," the younger girl pulled her arms around her Rider tightly. "I'm just wondering what tomorrow will be like, that's all."

"Ah... well... can you tell me about your day?"

Hikari blushes, smiled, then looked down. No one ever asked her how her day at school was, and Amane had done so twice within the last hour. It wasn't new for Amane to ask about her and her day, but it seemed different with school. There's so much activity going on in a single day, changing classes every hour, seeing so many different people and learning all kinds of things. But regardless, she told her, finding it almost therapeutic to relay her day, as if pushing out anything stressful. Like the two idiots in her foreign studies class, who were obnoxiously calling out ridiculous replies to anything the teacher said. They left the room with the first two detentions of the school year.

"What a great start for them, eh?" Amane chuckled sadly and shook her head. She knew how irritating people like that were. "So anyhow, did you end up with any classes with Yaya-chan?"

"Hai! My last class, we have choir together," she replied excitedly. She remembered walking in, and seeing Yaya already getting reprimanded for being inappropriate with Tsubomi, who was sitting in a chair looking extremely pissed.

Amane laughed softly when she heard, knowing enough from how she knew Yaya for that not to be surprising. "Can Yaya ever be taught boundaries?"

"No... we failed that long ago," the smaller girl replied giggling. She loved Yaya, but her friend could be so invasive and uber personal sometimes. "But anyhow... how was your day Amane?"

"Mine? Uh... well, not much different from most week days love," the bluenette smiled, starting to scratch the back of her head. A slight blush appeared. "Well... except now I missed you even more all day."

"Oh, sempai..."

They stood holding each other for a while, just looking at each other's eyes. All was so calm... but then sirens whirred in the distance, and their stillness was now frozen by fear.

"Don't let it come here..." Hikari whispered, like every time she'd heard a siren since summer.

Amane held onto her tighter, "it won't..."

Sure enough, they heard it go off into the far distance. It was so easy for their lives to be thrown into anxiety- Amane's celebrity curse, Hikari's horrible ordeal, and they're technically illegal relationship and the looming "harboring a minor" charge that could show up- all because of a siren, or an officer in the street. It was unlikely, but possibilities are said to be endless.

"Hikari... why don't I hurry up dinner so we can get to bed?"

"That sounds good about now senpai..."

They ate in silence, deep in thought about they're days. They held hands as they ate, balancing their food on forks with their other hand. Amane would rub her thumb over the back of Hikari's hand occasionally, and the blonde would look at her and smile. They cleared the kitchen together, playing with the water as they washes they dishes, ending in Hikari almost falling from the water splashing onto the floor, and Amane saving her from hitting floor a good six inches away. The Rider once again took on her Prince-like aura, unknowingly enveloping herself in a white and soft frame through Hikari's eyes, focused only on the handsome creature holding her steady, like a romance novel model from the heavens. Their eyes locked and shined, and lips followed, a soft gentle kiss burning up their faces.

"A-arigatou Amane-onee sama," Hikari felt the words roll out, even though her breath had been taken away. So amazing... so smooth... so adapt and so...

"Beautiful."

Amane had spoken Hikari's words, though clearly not talking about herself there, causing Hikari to flush bright red. They kissed again as Amane pulled them back up, not a drop of sweat anywhere on the Rider.

They walked to their bedroom to gather up what the needed for the shower, Hikari STILL finding it hard to look at Amane when she knew they'd shower together. Even though nothing really happened, except for that one night, it still had quite the effect on her innocent demeanor.

Once they soaped each other up and down, the awkwardness got worse. They tried to be sexy for each other, but Amane could be just as shy as Hikari. Just like the many nights before, they quickly rinsed off and ignored the fact that they were very wet, very naked, very clean, and very, very open.

Amane was first to turn and look at Hikari, without the blonde knowing, and admired her beautiful, small physique. She had every curve and line memorized by now, at least from her back and sides, as she did this almost every night. When she would turn back to dress herself, Hikari would then look, blush horribly, and quickly look away. Her Rider had not only a gleaming tan, toned, tall body, but quite honestly, a much larger and firmer chest than anyone would've guessed, and the thought of them to Hikari's innocent brain was overwhelming- kind of in a nice way.

Amane had taken Hikari's hand suddenly, and waited for the younger girl to turn around. She smiled, and brought the soft, smallish hand to her lips, and kissed her knuckles softly. Hikari bit her lip, curious as to what her Prince was doing.

"Amane senpai?"

"Will you let me carry you to bed?"

The small blonde giggled, and nodded. She embraced Amane warmly, and with a kiss was lifted off of her feet. They went bridal style out to the hallway, and then their bedroom. Too tired for conversations, the couple quickly fell asleep cuddled in each other's arms

A sole, black bird flitted past a shattered window. It effortlessly dropped and dodged another clunky knife that spun pathetically through the air, landing a story below. More empty bottles cluttered around the shit-faced muttering Jack. The days were getting to be riddled with more and more paranoia. As of that day, nothing he had with him, expect the knives, he'd personally owned. His car was gone, and he had stolen another- though he rarely used it. The alcohol he snuck out from a nearby bar whose staff never thought to lock the back windows. Or install cameras at least. His only fuel was his hate now. He reasoned that everything that had been in that house was his, and to be damned if it left.

Hikari is mine. Her mother is MINE. She was MINE from the START!

Jack had been this way since Hikari turned twelve. When she had started growing into her womanhood. When she started looking much better than that ratty thirty something old slut he called his bitch at work. If she had anything going for her, it was her kid.

Hikari.

I fed her.

I clothed her.

Everything she had was from me! And she gives herself away to a DYKE? She KNEW she belonged to me! I OWN THAT FAMILY!

The lone black bird had swooped back down to investigate the lethal object it rather easily avoided. The strange, unfamiliar scent of alcohol sent it into a tizzy. It couldn't even notice the boot behind it, also covered in the retching scent, come down and smash its weak bones into the ground and on the flat of the blade.


	21. Leaving on a Jet Plane

**Little Angel ch.21**

**Okay, so, maybe I went all summer again without updating (my bad) but I have a good reason this time! We had to move without really any notice, and I've been searching for a job practically every day I wasn't packing up or fixing up the apartment. But anywho… still jobless, just not homeless. I kept wondering if I saw any of you at Metrocon, but then I laughed, because I'm an introverted little freak xD I changed up the original plot (but I guess you won't really know, because, well, I put this up chapter by chapter). Blech, I'm going to stop rambling, you don't wanna hear me bitch. So, after long adieu, Enjoy x3**

"Light storms today will be gathering around the larger coast, but much larger rains will be hitting our area. As a result, most businesses and schools in this and surrounding districts are closed today."

Amane whistled as she looked on over the hard rains on the news. "Jeez... Star Bright is gunna go nuts today."

Hikari nodded. She was so tired from the rain, she was happy not to have to go to school. She wished it could be a day that she and Amane could cuddle up in bed all day, but she knew her Prince had to tend to her work. "Can I come with? Please Amane, I really want to see him again," she pleaded.

The Rider sighed. He could be anything between freaking out and an uncontrollable terror. But... how in her life could she refuse her angel? "Alright... but you have to stay close to me, unless he gets wild. I want you to get out of the stable and back into the truck as quick as possible then, okay?"

"Hai! Arigato onee-sama!"

Amane laughed. "Why do you insist on using such honorifics? I'm not your superior honey; I'm your melted-heart lover."

With that, she bent down and kissed her sweetly, and erupted a flush on Hikari's cheeks. Amane definitely noticed, and asked cheekily, "You blush so much, too... am I too much for you?"

"N-no Amane! I like the ways you make me blush. You're just so sweet, you know?" Hikari looked at her feet. She'd known she'd gotten stronger since meeting Amane, like her strong Rider personality had rubbed off by living with her. But she was still so shy to even think about it all! "Please... can I still go with you?"

Amane smiled, and kissed the blonde's forehead. "Grab your coat dear."

"Stay back Hikari. You know how he gets."

Hikari heeded Amane as she made her way to the nervous stallion's stable. The Rider came into a seemingly easy battle- Star Bright was totally fine, not bucking or rearing. The lightning would strike but he seemed barely agitated.

Until Amane turned to leave, that is. A loud clap of thunder shook the stable, and Star Bright, senseless. The lights flickered out and the last thing Hikari saw Star Bright losing it and about thrash around.

"Amane-senpai- Look out!"

A loud thud came from the stall, and she saw Amane's outline go down. Almost as soon as the shriek of terror slipped from the smaller girl, the gate opened, and she saw the Rider's figure stumbling to get out. Hikari fell to her knees and held on to her, shaking.

"Yeah... so ah... he WAS fine..."

"We can't just leave him like this can we?"

She felt Amane's shoulders slump. "What can I do? The lights are out and he's hysterical. I... he... look, the guy just shoved me to the ground without trying. He's a strong stallion honey. I know he'll be fine on his own."

Amane hated the words coming out of her mouth, but really she knew she had no chance right now. Hikari could feel the pain in her lover's voice, and silently held her. They sat there together, cuddled in the dark for just a small while, before falling asleep to the sounds of the storm.

* * *

><p>"Hey, Tsubomi-chan, it's raining like a monsoon out there, but, can I come over?" Yaya asked. She called the bubblegum haired girl, knowing she'd more willingly say yes here than in a text.<p>

"But you'll get hurt driving here, baka!" She retorted. If her Yaya-sama got hurt trying to see her, she'd never forgive the raven idiot.

"I'll be fiiiiiinnnneee! Have I ever had trouble before?"

"Well, no, but-"

"Awesome! I'll be there soon!" Yaya smiled wide at herself and hung up, thinking she must be the funniest shit. "Heh, oh who am I kidding, I'll just get an earful when I get there."

She packed her bag with a change of clothes and a few movies, then as an afterthought two chocolate scented candles, smirking to herself. It's gunna be a good day.

Shouta looked out the window to see if Amane's truck was still there since most of the storm had died down, and surely, it had been. She and her girlfriend had been holed up in the stables though, and he shook his head. He hopped down out of the house and walked over to the stable. "C'mon now Amane, I'm running a stable here, not a barn."

As he pushed open the gates, he noticed the lights were still off, meaning something had blown during the storm. He peeked around the corner to see the pair of them cuddled next to Star Bright's stall, which appeared quite pleasantly sleeping himself. He chuckled, and sighed happily, glad to see all of their clothes were still on them. He coughed loudly, and startled them awake, and laughed as they looked wildly about, blushing. Amane apologized unintelligibly, standing up with Hikari quickly.

"U-um... has the storm died down?"

"It's gotten down enough... do you have to get going?" He replied, smirking. I certainly do...

"We should. Let us say goodbye to Star Bright first," the Rider replied, holding Hikari's hand tightly. He chuckled once more and left them to return to his office, where he had just so happened to have a glorious young man waiting for him. _I hope he doesn't mind me having been too long..._

Shouta smirked, thinking there was gratefully more to this job than met the eye.

* * *

><p>"So... um... is it just me or is Mr. Shouta-san a bit... off?"<p>

Amane smirked, "No, there's something about him. He's pretty touchy-feely, but doesn't seem perverted. He dresses too nicely, anyway. Too nicely for a stable manager."

"I never really noticed..." Hikari looked out the window, remembering when she first technically met the man, and Amane thought he was flirting. Her stomach rumbled a bit, and she turned to Amane and asked, "So, when we get home, do you want me to make lunch?"

Amane's own stomach growled then, and she nodded in agreement. "Hai, my love. You're a far better chef than me anyway."

The blonde blushed, and looked back out the window.

She made tuna sandwiches for them at home, and cut up an apple or two to side with it. Amane closed her eyes and hummed with delight. Her voiced waved, like she was in a deep, pleasurable trance. "Hikari~ where have you been all my life?"

The younger girl giggled softly, nipping impishly on an apple slice. "About twenty minutes away, surprisingly."

The bluenette had devoured her entire plate, even swiping up a bit of the hot sauce from the sandwich with her finger. She hummed a bit more, and then leaned over to kiss Hikari happily, forgetting about her tuna breath. Her lover didn't notice though, she was too abashed to look up. The pair of them were just blissfully happy inside their home, happily avoiding the monsoon outside with a good meal.

And then the phone rang.

Amane's face soured and she grumbled, leaving to go retrieve her cell. When she answered, her voice seemed low and sharp. She began pacing slowly in the living room, and slowly she looked more pensive, and more cautious. Hikari stood up nervously, walking slowly towards her.

"Okay... for how long- two weeks? Are you nuts, how could that take... look, did you ever think maybe I can't just drop everything and go for that long? I have responsibilities too, y'know. Like what? I have a job! And? Well... I have a cat!"

She looked over to Hikari and give her a nervous "I'm sorry, just play along look", and Hikari meowed, and winked. Amane smiled, and rolled her eyes.

"No, I can't just put her in a kennel, she's my baby. Besides Star Bright. Look, I'm not leaving for two weeks, book the flight closer to the date, or I won't go. No, obviously, I'm not staying at some guy's- oh, he's a senator? Still, I'm not staying there, last time they tried to get me drunk. Not everyone likes Americans, y'know?.. A week at the most. That's fine, I'll see you at the airport. Sayonara."

Hikari was dazzled, and more importantly confused. Amane was leaving for a week? To America, presumably, but for what?

"Amane?"

"Um... well... I've been invited to attend the Texas International Races. Again."

"Again?!" Hikari was in shock; her lover wasn't only just a great racer, she was internationally renowned, too? "Amane... you're incredible! I never would've thought... I mean, I don't know why, you're amazing after all."

Amane laughed a little. "Well, not THAT amazing. I came in third last year. Even American horses are on steroids it would seem. And Miyo's going this year too, so it'll be that much harder... but more importantly, are you gunna be okay here? I can't take you with me, you have school, and, well security will too many questions." Her face saddened greatly as she spoke. "I really don't wanna leave you..."

Hikari was overwhelmed by it all. The fact that Amane was leaving, the hope that she would succeed like the star she was, the fear of her going to America, the most hostile place it seemed on the earth right now, where anything could happen to her.

"Will you be alright?" was her question.

"Most likely, I mean, I'm just the Japanese kid to them, nothing special honestly. The group last year thought they would pull some stereotypical shit on me, which is why I'm staying at a hotel, and not at the place it's being held."

"You mean it's at someone's home? But that's huge!"

Amane sighed and nodded. "It is. You could house at least fifty people in there, plus servants. It's like a palace Hikari, it's magnificent. America can be quite beautiful if you hide most of the people somewhere else. I stayed a bit long last year, traveling. The land is amazing, you can be in vast open plains in one spot, and in the same borders find deserts and mountains. The forests were tall, and the rivers were so mighty. Not all of it has been polluted yet, and I'd love to take you some day. Preferably, before they ruin it."

Hikari was awe struck hearing about it. She learned from her classes what a vast and diverse place America was, but to hear it from someone she knew was far different than a textbook definition. "It sounds breath taking, sempai! I wish I could go this time, but you're right, it'll just be too difficult. I'm happy to stay here and be your cat though, Amane. Just promise me you'll do your best!" The small girl smiled brightly, taking Amane's much larger hands into her own. Amane gave an empty laugh, looking over her smaller sweetheart. "For you, nothing is impossible. I promise to call every night to the house line, or I can just go and get you another cell phone-"

"Amane-sempai, it's alright. The house phone is fine for me, as long as I can hear your voice," she said quickly, pulling her lover's and hers hands to chest. "That's all I'll need, okay?"

"You sure? I can hire you a body guard if you like. Or a maid? Maybe a personal chef-" Amane freed her hands and tickled Hikari's sides.

"S-sempai, no! Tee hee hee! Just you- st-stop it!"

"Oh? Them how about a chauffeur then? Maybe I'll actually get a cat?" Amane laughed as she spoke, incessantly tickling her girlfriend, and backing her onto the foot of the couch.

"A-amaneeeeee! No fair!"

They laughed until they couldn't breathe, but the Rider didn't stop, even after they collapsed onto the couch. Hikari writhed in her giggling, trying to push off her very heavily toned lover to no avail. So, she instead went for a different route and kissed her, which worked far better than her pleas. Amane stopped, and kissed her back, slowly at first, then a little more passionately. The fires from first kiss on this couch seemed to ignite again.

"H... Hikari," the Rider spoke softly on her lips, "I think there's something about this couch... it's seen a lot more of our hormones than our bed has."

Hikari flushed furiously, putting her arms around Amane's neck and looked at her with embarrassed blue eyes. "Is that a problem, sempai? I could stop kissing you like this-"

Amane stopped her cold and threw her lips back to Hikari's, pulling away only to breath and shake her head. "No... I meant, it's nice. It's different."

Their faces sported the same shade of red, and looked away for a moment before kissing again. Amane sunk lower to her lover, putting her hand behind Hikari's head and deepened the kiss, and in return, Hikari clenched onto her Rider's shirt, and started running her fingers through her short, soft blue hair.

"This... has to be the best feeling ever, love," Amane whispered into Hikari's ear. The smaller girl shivered a bit and nodded, biting her lip as her sempai kissed along her neck and jaw. "Will you handle it until I get back?"

"Hai, sempai, but… I'm so glad it's only a week."

"Y'know, you can ask your friends to come over, just promise me no wild house parties," Amane winked mischievously. Hikari blushed, and shook her head.

"Sempai!"

* * *

><p>"Baka, c'mon, they have to come home eventually, put your damn shirt back on!"<p>

Yaya laughed, lounging lazily on Tsubomi's bed only half dressed. She winked, and replied with "Make me."

The stared at each other for a bit and Yaya laughed, while Tsubomi sighed and shook her head. _Oh you…_


	22. Addiction and Her Name

**Little Angel Ch. 22**

Hikari shut her locker with a sigh.

"Oh c'mon, you're alone in a celebrity's apartment for a week, why are you so damn doom and gloom Hikari? Rejoice!" Yaya had been trying hopelessly all day to cheer her best friend up. Truth be told, she was kind of happy Amane was leaving. The raven haired girl felt like there was this distance coming between them since their relationship began to bud. She had loved Hikari in every way a human could love someone, at one point or another, and she would be damned to lose her closest friend. _She'd rather dump Tsubomi first! Actually, I take that back..._

"Hikari, she said you could have me over right? Well, we could treat it like all the nights you used to spend at my house, except, well, I won't hit on you."

Yaya never missed a chance to be a flirt, and she winked shamelessly at her to prove it. It produced a small, quick giggle from Hikari, but her face still sunk with loss. Amane hadn't even left yet, but she couldn't stand the anticipation. It would be the first time since she moved in with her that she would be separated from her for so long. It was a bit frightening too, considering the distance. Amane would be half a world away from her; her Prince fighting in some far away land.

The warning bell rang harshly for the next class, and they slunk down the hallway, parting ways. Hikari sat inattentively during the lesson, fretting about Amane leaving. She stopped noticing the girls that would stare at her- meaning, making it completely obvious and turning around and pointing while whispers- because no matter what she would say, or how she would defend herself, it'll be a lie. People ask all day if she's dating The Amane Ootori, and whether she said yes or no, somehow she got called a liar. She stopped denying it after Amane made it a regular thing to pick her up, but now the story in the school had gotten so twisted, even Yaya had lost track of what supposedly was happening. The blonde sat idly for the hour, occasionally attempting to look like she was paying attention. Her phone buzzed suddenly- Amane had gone and gotten her another one- and Hikari, no longer used to it, shook a bit in shock, her heart giving a heavy thud. Before she looked, she knew it was Yaya.

**I've got an idea for you and your lover boy; 3**

Hikari scowled, and, when the teacher had his back turned to the board, she hastily wrote back:

**For the last time, please stop calling her a boy! And why does this idea of yours scare me, Yaya? **

A few minutes later she got her response, and beet red cheeks.

**Fuck her somewhere you haven't done it yet, sayyyyy her truck? ;) And do it the night before she leaves.**

Bewildered and embarrassed, she furiously texted back, not even checking to see if she was in the clear.

**What?! Yaya, who ever said we EVER did anything like that? And how does that help!**

Steaming now, it was impossible for her to focus really on anything in the room. Anybody could see the bright scarlet across her face as she waited, embarrassed for her answer.

**Um, your hickies did babe ;D and NOW instead of moping around for the rest of the week, you have something to look forward to! 3**

Hikari was about to send a heated response when she heard a loud, irritated cough in her direction. Her teacher looked down at her from his nose from across the room. "Miss Konohana, if you could keep your shenanigans and your _Cell Phone_ out of my class, please?"

She nodded, and whimpered out, "Hai sensei, gomen nasai..."

After class, Hikari hid her head as she left the room, and glared down Yaya as she approached. The raven haired girl only laughed.

"Y'know," she began," that'd be a lot more frightening if your cheeks weren't still lit up like brake lights."

"Shush... you got me in trouble. And I don't have hickies."

Yaya raises her eyebrow and smirked, pulling back the collar of her shirt a bit to reveal yellow and red patch of skin on her collarbone. "Well, actually~"

Hikari shook her hand away, feeling very exposed, and they started walking to Tsubomi's class without another word between them. The pinkette immediately saw what was up, and was furious instantly. "YAYAAAAAA!"

"I can explain!" The accused raising her hands in defense.

"I'd like to see that," Hikari said, looking amused.

Yaya whipped her head to her friend, in disbelief. "You're a sadist, you know that?"

Hikari giggled a little bit and listened as Tsubomi yelled at her girlfriend. "Why are you harassing Hikari-sempai? You know this is the worst time for your stupid, mischievous crap! Baka! Hikari, what did she do now?"

"She got me in trouble, texting me in class. Now everyone thinks I'm up to something, again."

Tsubomi frowned, the crinkled her eyebrows together and punched Yaya's shoulder. "Yaya! Think!"

The raven haired tomboy snickered. "I did, and I came up with a pretty good idea."

Hikari's face smoldered in red, and she ducked her face to her chest. "Stop it Yaya..."

"Ohhh, you know you like it," she teased, winking. Tsubomi almost had steam out of her ears.

"Excuse me?! Um, mind telling ME what this us about, baka?!"

"Ohhh, I just suggested to Hikari something that would make her week a little easier. I'm curious as to know if she'll actually do it."

Hikari looked miserable now. "A-as if I'd tell you."

"You tell me everything, Hikari," Yaya laughed.

Tsubomi's glare had little tints of pink in her cheeks. She snipped at her girlfriend, "You know what? Never mind, I'm pretty sure I don't even want to know. You can be so crude sometimes Yaya."

Yaya snickered again, and winked, replying, "Oh, like NOW it's a big deal that I'm 'kinky'."

"Kinky and crude are two very different things, baka dear."

They argued like this all the way to the chorus room, all through class, and even after their instructor told them to cut it out. Hikari just dazed off, her heart still sick with anxiety.

Finally, the final class let out, and the trio walked together towards the parking lot. When Hikari saw Amane waiting for her, arm outside her window, she quickly gave her friends a goodbye, and left for her Prince.

"Hello Hikari," the bluenette began, smiling softly. "How was school, love?"

She looked over her lover, worried, noticing pieces of straw stuck in her hair, and horse hoofs on her shirt. She also saw a tightly wrapped bandage around her hand. "Well, probably a bit better than yours, if you don't count Yaya anyway. What happened, Amane? Did Star Bright get the best of you?"

Amane exhaled harshly, looking defeated suddenly. "Actually, it was a different horse. A group of college boys came around asking to take out a few of the horses, and I told them to go ask Shouta. They brought up the whole "_but you're famous_" bit, so I just repeatedly myself. He gave them the usual price for a day's rental and the liability papers, and told them they were paying extra because they couldn't prove they'd ever rode one. Well, the one little shit thought that wasn't fair so he started spewing about how his family could buy the stable if he wanted, and serve the horses as market meat. I said back to him he was welcome to leave before I set one off on him."

Hikari giggled, enjoying hearing Amane act so brave against these punks.

"Shouta gave me his look after that and started trying to sweet talk the kid about the beauty of horse riding, and their majesty and this and that, and didn't notice two of them whispering and snickering to each other, and I couldn't make out what they were saying. After he made his whole speech, Shouta asked me to take them two at a time to the training field. I had to agree, because, well... you know. Anyway, these jerks saunter on out to the field while I get two of the mares cleared for rental ready for riding. When I tied them to the post, I said 'I'll be right back; I'm just getting Star Bright.' Well, just guess what I saw when I came back?"

Hikari blinked, and frowned. "Don't tell me they let them loose..."

"Nope. Just one. And they did something to piss her off, because she went flying back to the stable. I mean like, terrified and charging, and it scared the shit out of a couple of the others. I rode out on Star Bright and told them they needed to get the hell out before I did it myself. I... didn't quite think about it being one on four, but only two of them actually came at me, plus I was on my horse. They had no chance," she smirked, but still looked distant.

"Amane... what else happened?" Hikari looked at her nervously, cautiously.

"... I... you see... you know the saying, the bigger they are, the harder they fall?"

"Hai, Amane-sempai. Why?"

"Well, the easier they get back up, too. The two on the ground were licking their wounds while the other two were cursing and swearing amongst other things. By then, I wasn't really paying attention to them. I just wanted to get the horses safely back inside."

"Oh... Amane..." Hikari was very nervous now. "A-are they alright?"

Amane didn't respond with words, merely clenching her steering wheel until her knuckles turned white.

"Amane... I'm so sorry..."

"It's fine... I mean, the bruises will heal, but it'll hurt when they walk. I should've locked the doors, or made them leave first. I didn't even notice them all come up behind me." Amane said, her heart sunk and her voice low. They were almost home, and Hikari let it drop. They walked up the stairs silently, Amane sighing as she opened the door. _I hope they don't come back. I hope the cops catch them. Star Bright... will you be okay?_

Hikari noticed her brooding, silent girlfriend severely distraught and did something Yaya's flavor of bold, and pulled Amane close, getting on her tip-toes, and kissed her slowly, heatedly, and deeply. "Amane... you were brave back there. So incredibly brave, and strong. If it had been anyone else, sempai-love, those mares would be in an even worse state. Your passion saved them. Please Amane, it hurts to see you so defeated. You're amazing."

Hikari's large, loving blue eyes and beautiful words raised the Rider's fallen heart. Amane smiled and kissed her back tenderly.

"Thank you, Hikari. My sweet Angel."

_**The world was on fire, and no one could save me but you.**_

Amane and Hikari sat on the bed, facing one another talking. Just smiling, and talking, nothing else, but a sadness rested in their conversation. A candle holder flickered with six hot wisps floating about, contrasting the small storm fitting about outside. Amane fell silent eventually, not knowing how to bring it up. Hikari was just as confused and awkward, but broke the ice. "Amane sempai... you did all you could today, and no one would ask for more. I'm sure Shouta and the police will get them."

"Hai, Hikari, but... those poor things... Why are people so destructive? Even with the living world around them?"

Hikari sighed. "I don't know... I don't know if there's actually any one answer. What I do know is, that there's wonderful people like you that will always fight for good. You saved me from Jack, and you fought to keep the horses safe. You're like a knight in shining armor."

_**It's strange what desire will make foolish people do.**_

Amane nodded, reflecting on once again how aggressive she'd become since meeting Hikari. _It was like she lit fires in my bones. Anything... anything to protect my little angel. _

_**I never dreamed that I'd meet somebody like you. And I never dreamed that I'd lose somebody like you.**_

"I... I don't want to go," Amane managed to say. She couldn't get over leaving Hikari for a week, it hurt. The Rider was scared that if she left, who would keep her safe? Yaya? Possibly, but she wasn't sure... _If I keep thinking like this, of course something bad will happen. It'll be okay, I'll call her every night after I call Shouta about the horses and the kids from the other day. Maybe I could take her with... no, she has school. Damn..._

_**... Nobody loves no one.**_

Hikari wondered what was going through Amane's mind. It was times like these she wished she could read her mind, despite the break of personal privacy. "Amane, you have to. Please sempai, I would never forgive myself if I was the reason you didn't race. I want you to prove yourself, to show everyone how amazing my Prince is."

Amane chuckled, "Why do people call me that?"

Hikari looked at her with a shocked and surprised look on her face, quickly flushing as she looked back into her lap and played with her fingers. "W-well... because you just seem so... regal, like the fairy tale, Prince Charming. Especially when you ride Star Bright, the two of you are incomparable."

Amane looked at the small girl in wonder, then, with a smile on her face, picked up her chin and kissed Hikari sweetly. "If I'm Charming, then you must be my Snow White."

Hikari teared up a little as she heard her Rider speak. It was the way her eyes looked when it came out. She felt like Amane made her a princess, made to live a long, happy life with the love of her life in this getaway kingdom of theirs.

"Hikari? Are you... are you alright?"

"H-hai Amane-sempai, you just make me so unbelievably happy!" Hikari kissed her again, as boldly as she had earlier and actually knocked the muscled woman onto her back. In shock, Amane gasped, and the pair blushed at their position. Hikari tried to move away, but the bluenette held her there. "No, I... I like you on top..."

"S-sempai? Amane, you're..." she faltered, still lost in her eyes. "S... so warm and..."

Unknowingly, her face had been drawing itself closer and closer to Amane's, and her fingers moved to caress it softly. They chased the chiseled lines of her cheek bones, lingered on her slim lips. Amane was warm-and getting warmer. She watched Hikari watching her while she traced her nails along her face. It felt like a baby's touch. Their noses touched, and their lips soon conjoined as well. The Rider intertwined her fingers throughout her lover's long, luscious blonde hair, and their legs tangled in their burst of passion. Lips locked and searched for that familiar taste; fingers caressed and held to each other; clothes slipped and flew onto the floor; skin touched and melded in passion, in heat.

Their eyes wandered in the candle light, searching over the valleys and hills of each other's body, but ultimately met back in their eyes- the cerulean seas crashing against the open, warm earth. Their hands swept down and across each other, flowing with the beat of their racing hearts. Thunder drummed out the moans and mewls that came with the most sensitive touches, and lightning masked the flashes of passion wildly exploding upon grazing the right places. The two became one in their rocking, shaking, writhing forms.

The blonde straddled the bluenette, and their flesh mashed in time with their lips.

Amane's swift hands became Hikari's undoing. One to her breast and the other at her thigh, the Rider's lips moved to her delicate, sensitive neck, distracting her. The slick warmth that Amane knew she'd made became her signal. The blonde's mewls became cries of wanton pleasure. Her hold on her lover became unbreakable; her body entirely tensed as Amane made love to it. Heat waves crashed over and over through them, until Hikari herself crashed, hard, into her most beautiful climax yet.

However, Amane wasn't done for the night, as almost as soon as her little lover recovered, she felt those familiar, slender digits roam in places she hadn't felt them before.

"H-Hikari? What're you do-"

"Amane, it's not fair to you that you only make me feel good. I-I... I want to make you feel that way t-too. Only... I'm just not sure how."

Amane's mouth was agape, and she stuttered horribly. "Y-you w-wanna... w-wait... y-you... a-and... wait... really? What... I... Hikari, you d-don't-"

"Amane, yes, I want to."

Without another word, the blonde attempted to recreate the passionate touches Amane had stirred within her, growing more and more confident with each sound the Rider made. Amane's body shook and pulsed like throbbing heart, her own feeling about to explode. Hikari drew her closer and closer and closer yet, right onto that frightening cliff, the sky line that makes you cling to your breathe, mouth agape, and body tensed. She clung to Hikari's shoulders as the Rider cried out in a beautiful call, her first climax over taking her.

"That… was… fantastic…" she whispered, after having a moment to recollect herself. "Is that… was that how I make you f-feel? When we're like this?"

"Hai, Amane. It's one of the most amazing things I've ever felt, besides your kisses," the smaller girl replied, blushing brightly in the dark. She was suddenly and completely worn out, her hand embarrassingly tired. She nuzzled into Amane's shoulder, tracing circles around her chest.

They laid there silently for the rest of the night, listening to the two birds outside sing their nocturnal minuet. It became their lullaby. Hikari reconsidered what Yaya had advised; Amane wasn't so troubled about the stables.

Everything would always work out in a happy ending for true love.

…_Right?_


	23. Update Warning

***** THIS IS JUST A MEMO GUYS. IF YOU'RE READING A LOCKED HEAVEN RIGHT NOW, I HAVE TO ADVISE YOU TO STOP FOR A WHILE. I'VE GONE BACK TO IT'S PREDECESSOR, LITTLE ANGEL, TO LITERALLY REVAMP THE ENTIRE THING. THE WHOLE OF THE STORY HAS PLOT HOLES AND GRAMMAR/ SPELLING ISSUES LIKE YOU WOULDN'T BELIEVE, SO WHILE THAT'S GOING ON IF ANYONE HAS A TIME MACHINE CAN I PLEASE BORROW IT TO PUNCH MY 16 YEAR OLD SELF IN THE FACE? THANK YOU ALL! *****

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><p><strong>Currently on Chapter: <span>6 (930/2014)**

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><p><strong><span><strong>Currently on Chapter: 9 (1001/2014)****


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